


Not What I Want

by DannyIsMyBoi



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-22
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-10-14 15:48:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 27,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17511431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DannyIsMyBoi/pseuds/DannyIsMyBoi
Summary: In a world where his father watches his every move, Daniel struggles to survive as he constantly questions the morality of his actions. He knows it's wrong, but he still continues (vague summary, read prologue to find out more). Weekly updates! Crossposted on fan fiction.net.





	1. Prologue

Why did I do that.

His shoes contacted the cold stone floor, the pitter-patter echoing throughout the long hallway. His eyes shifted from his shoes to one side of the hall where tall windows sat framed by royal, red curtains. Each drapestry had been tied around the center to allow the morning light to stream in. On the other side of the hall hung large portraits, and all with one specific figure in them. The shadowy figures stared at him, their eyes burning holes into his back. His steps began to slow as the noises grew louder and louder. He stopped walking and stared ahead, crystal blue eyes transfixed in a dissociated state. His body began to sink until he was on his knees.

He made me do it. Just like he made me do them all.

His trembling arms flew up to his ears, shielding them from the outside disturbance. The pounding in his head increased in amplitude until he couldn't take it anymore. A groan escaped his lips as he continued to sit on the floor, hands now groping his hair.

Isn't it wrong?

Their faces flashed before his eyes, leading him to immediately shut them. He could still see them clearly; their painful expressions imprinted in his mind. He tried to shake them free. To make it stop. His lungs screamed for air. His heart raced in his chest, threatening to explode from its cage. Just like himself.

I didn't do that.

Did he find it amusing? Was his only purpose to.. to…

I never wanted this.

His mind was spinning, the dizziness overtaking control of his body. He could feel their agony, the figurative hand at his neck constricting him from breathing. His eyes fluttered to maintain consciousness.

"Daniel?"

It's gone.

"Yes father."

"Get up and go to your room."

"Yes father."

He got up, keeping his head tilted towards the ground. He balled his hands into a fist at his sides in an attempt to cope with his now forming headache. With a swift movement he turned and continued down the hall without glancing back.

This time, his footsteps weren't alone.

They were accompanied by the devil.


	2. Chapter 1

Closing the door delicately, Daniel turned towards his room and slid down the door frame until he was sitting on his lush carpeted floor. He listened to the paced footsteps outside the door until he couldn't hear them anymore. Finally he let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. The fear that had overwhelmed him before flushed out of his body and let in a wave of relief.

He was in the one place he felt safe in. His room.

He looked down at his hands, the ones stained with bright green ectoplasm. They were trembling, something that always happened after. The lemony scent from the green substance tickled his nose, making his stomach churn. It was a smell that made him sick, even if he was accustomed to it all his life.

Fumbling to stand up, the boy walked over to his private bathroom. He gripped the granite sink, turning his knuckles white with frustration. He needed a moment to think, a moment to calm down. After a minute, he looked at himself in the mirror, sky blue eyes hypnotized in its own appearance. His clothes were stained here and there with the sickening green liquid. He knew it would take multiple washes to rid himself of the matter.

He began to peel of his clothes one by one. First his dark blue blazer, then his white collar shirt, matching dark blue pants, and finally his boxers. Kicking his clothes aside, he stepped into the shower and turned the water to maximum heat.

He loved it when he could wash himself of his actions. The water ran smooth across his skin, relaxing his tense muscles. He scrubbed himself with his red loofa, cleansing himself of the dirt. The shower was the only place he felt tranquil. Where his mind was free of jumbled thoughts.

He turned the water off and grabbed his towel, wrapping it around his waist. The mirror was now foggy from the condensation of steam. That's the way he favored his mirrors, ambiguous and obscure. This way, he didn't have to see himself. He didn't have to face reality head on.

He walked back into his room and towards his dark brown dresser. Shuffling through the neatly folded clothes, he picked out a pair of maroon pants and a navy collared shirt. He found a matching maroon blazer in his closet and threw it over.

His room was decorated in a space themed look including constellation blankets, solar system curtains, and plastic little glow-in-the-dark stars that scattered the ceiling. The plastic stars were the closest thing he got to being outside. In one corner of his room sat a dresser and closet, while the other had a four-post bed and a desk. In front of the room was a sofa that provided a broad view of the outside through a window. Across from the seating area was his own bathroom.

He sat at the edge of his bed debating whether or not to go downstairs. He knew his father would be waiting for him. His father was always obsessed with eating meals as a family, although there really was no 'family' to eat with. His father wanted to look presentable towards the staff, otherwise if they weren't there, he wouldn't give a damn to eat with his son.

Daniel put on his black crew socks and dress shoes. He reluctantly stood up and exited the safe confines of his room, only to be filled with the familiar feeling of anxiety. His jet black bangs sat upon his forehead, covering his right eye from view. He walked through the halls alone. The only noise from his shoes contacting the gray-stoned floor. He took a left and walked down the stairs. He headed towards the dining hall and sat down in his chair at one end of the table.

The room was large, complete with light blue painted walls, huge windows, a long table, a couple of drawers filled with dishes, and other standard items in a dining hall. The room was decorated with one large family portrait, although he always wondered who two of the figures were.

"Hello Daniel, how are you doing?" a sweet feminine voice said. He recognized it as Lucy, the maid who prepared their meals. He always appreciated her kind tone and motherly grace, something that was absent in his life.

He mumbled back a 'good' without turning to look at her. His father had not entered the kitchen yet, so Daniel would have to wait for him. Lucy began to set the cutlery on the table and added a vase full of vibrant roses at the center. The lone boy stared at his hands in his lap. They began to shake lightly.

_Please not here…_

He placed his hands under his legs to stop them from being noticed. His father entered the room with a cheery 'good morning' towards Lucy. His silvery, gray hair was combed neatly into a little ponytail. His black suit was ironed to perfection, no creases or wrinkles as usual. In his hand he held a manilla envelope which he tucked under his chair as he sat down. Daniel kept his head low, eyes set on his lap.

Lucy brought out their breakfast on white ceramic plates. Today they were having scrambled eggs and bacon, however, it wasn't Daniel's favorite meal - it was his father's. Daniel enjoyed eating fruitloops, although rarely was he ever given the option to do so. His father always said they were unhealthy, but he relished in their fruitful flavors, instead of the bland foods his father liked.

Once Daniel heard his father pick up his fork and knife, he followed suit. He ate without glancing up for he didn't want to look at the man. He knew the consequences all to well, nightmares especially. Lucy left into the kitchen to grab their beverages, and his father took this as an opportunity to speak.

"Not even a 'good morning father, how are you'?" came the low voice of his father. Daniel could tell his father was smiling all the while as he chewed on his eggs. "Well then, I have your next assignment." Daniel paused chewing and glanced up at the folder his father had slid across the table towards him. He hated this part of the day. He took the envelope and placed it on the floor, not wanting to look at the contents it held.

"I'll start it tomorrow." his voice came out quavering. His fragile tone was that of a small child, filled with dread. His eyes met with his fathers and he already regretted his statement.

"No." his father interjected in his bold manner and suddenly stood up "You will begin today. This one is more difficult than the last. You will need all the time you can get. Once you finish your food you will go and complete that. Understood?" he said pointing to the envelope all the while his mouth was twisted into a grimace.

"Yes father." His hands began to tremble even more as he hurried to finish his food. His father sat down just as Lucy entered the room and gave them each a glass of orange juice, exiting once again. Deciding it was better to leave it half finished, Daniel stood up, pushed in his chair, and grabbed the envelope.

"Daniel…" a stern voice from behind him echoed. He stopped walking and stood still, awaiting his father's voice to ring once again. "Come here."

He turned back and walked towards his father without making eye contact. He stopped right in front of his father who was now standing. His father raised his arm and swung at Daniel, contacting him with a smack on the cheek. The impact caused him to fall to his left and let loose of the envelope. The papers from within the envelope scattered across the floor, diverging in every direction. He was now sitting on the floor, his hand rubbing his red cheek. His father bent down and grabbed him by his collar. Daniel could feel his hot breath on his face, as he hesitated to not writhe in his father's grasp.

"How many times did I tell you to comb your hair?" His father let lose of his grip on his son's shirt and averted his eyes back to his food. Daniel fell back a bit, taken aback by the sudden show of dominance. How could he forget?! His father constantly berated him for his appearance, yet he forgot to comb his hair after his shower, which was spiked in random directions.

"Sorry... I forgot." He managed to squeak as he picked up the papers from the envelope.

"You can't even look the slightest bit presentable! What kind of a damn son are you?..." His father said as he sat down and grumbled under his breath. Daniel decided not to reply as he continued collecting the documents. He paused on a small sheet of paper, one that was laminated. A photograph.

_N-no. It can't be…_

He couldn't believe his eyes. He couldn't do this. He glanced up at his father, who was preoccupied with finishing his breakfast and then glanced back at the photo. Daniel sighed and finished collecting all the papers, stuffing them back into the manilla envelope.

The boy stood up and walked out of the dining hall. His cheek was still throbbing from his father's hand. Once he was out of hearing distance from his father, he raced up the stairs and into his room, slamming the door behind him.

He threw the envelope at his desk and hopped onto his bed. Reaching into his pocket he grabbed the photograph and brought it out. His crystal blue eyes scrutinized the entire thing, memorizing every single detail. Tears sprung at his eyes and threatened to fall, but he held back. Finally he sat up and placed his head in his hands, hoping that his situation was just a dream and it would all be fine by the time he looked back up.

Everything was not fine when he looked up.

In fact, everything felt worse.

* * *

 

Daniel couldn't believe his eyes. The person he was staring at in the photograph was his only childhood friend, at least the only person he remotely could call a friend. Her grass green eyes stared back at him, mouth spread into a joyful grin. Although she appeared younger in the photo, he could recognize her immediately, especially with her trademark hair tied into a slick ponytail.

He got up and grabbed the envelope that sat upon his desk, sticking his hand into its manilla safeguard and involuntary withdrawing its contents. Just the sight of the manilla color made him feel uneasy. The papers within held detailed descriptions that all connected to her: last seen location, appearance, age, height, favorites, etc. Usually it was someone Daniel wasn't acquainted with, which made the job easier.

He groaned loudly as he swiveled around in his desk chair to face his room. He rubbed his head in frustration knowing all to well that his father would go out of his way to make sure he completed the assignment. His breakfast churned in his stomach as he knew there was no way of evading this. He reluctantly rose from his chair and sighed loudly, stretching his limbs and back.

Grabbing the envelope once more, he encoded the details into his memory even though he already knew much of it by heart. He took out his backpack hidden in a secret compartment in his closet, and stuffed the envelope inside. Crouching down, he mentally checked off the backpacks contents one by one. Once he was done, he slung it across his shoulder.

He stood up and once again exited his room. He couldn't believe he was going to do this. He couldn't do this, right? _Yea right, say that to your father._ With each step, panic rose within him. He walked through the halls, down the stairs, and into the library.

The library was a huge room complete with shelves that reached the ceiling. Each shelf was stacked with many books, all organized according to the Dewey Decimal system. Just about any book could be found within the shelves' confines. He took a right at the first bookshelf, a left, another left, and finally a right until he ended up on the nonfiction/science area.

This section of the library was rarely visited, other than Daniel's almost daily visits, and its appearance showed exactly that. In the corners were huge spiderwebs, sticking to half the shelves and shielding the lightbulb from fully illuminating the area. Dust littered the books and floor, covering almost every surface.

He ran his finger along the spines of the books on the fourth shelf, his eyes following its path. He stopped upon a black book, one that brought him many unwanted memories. He lightly tugged at the top of the book which caused the entire shelf to lower straight up and reveal a dimly-lit hallway. He walked straight into the passageway, a wave of dread hitting him all the while. The shelf began to return to its normal state as he continued.

Following the pristine white halls, he came upon the laboratory. The grey marbled floor matched the countertops of the tables. On top of some of the counters sat beakers, test tubes, weapons, and etc. He passed by them and accidentally brushed up against a chair similar to a dentists, but with various straps. Shivers ran down his spine, sending goosebumps across his arms. He awkwardly tugged at his sleeve in an effort to cover his frigid hands.

He finally stopped walking, lifting his head slightly to get a full view of the main attraction. He leaned towards his right and extended his arm, placing his palm on a black screen shaped like a hand. A green light flashed from the machine and ran up and down his palm. Once it finished scanning, a small beep emitted from the gadget as two trapezoidal doors began to move away from each other in unison, revealing a swirling green vortex behind them. He sighed as he dropped his backpack on the floor with a thump.

Closing his eyes, he reached within his chest and latched onto a familiar cold feeling. He brought it forward and allowed it to take over his body. A circular blue light erupted from his waist and traveled in two directions. His formal outfit transformed into a black hazmat suit along with green accents. His attire was complete with white gloves, boots, and a belt which hung a silver and green thermos.

He once again picked up his backpack, slinging it onto his shoulder. Running his gloved hand through his now silky white hair he regretted his possible future actions. _Here we go_ he said as he gradually levitated and locked his green eyes with the matching vortex. With an exhale of his breath he dove straight forward. The trapezoidal doors began to slowly shut behind him, leaving behind no trace of the hesitant boy who stood there a moment ago.

* * *

The ghost zone was a great void of nothing which expanded farther than any galaxy. Its interdimensional properties obliged it to forever continue, with no end. The purple doors that scattered the realm were said to lead to some of the ghosts lair's, although their presence was hard to distinguish from the many other identical doors. The bright green atmosphere whirled lazily as many ghosts continued with their afterlives.

Moving through the vortex, Daniel imagined himself floating through earth's sky. He longed to fly through its light blue breadth since it was something he never experienced. Here he felt more free to soar within the expanse of the swirling green sky, the fear of his father locked behind the door to the portal. A grin began to spread across his face, energizing him to fly in a loop-de-loop as he sped past some purple doors. Here and there he noticed islands that floated amidst the vast sea of green.

He had committed most of the ghost zone to his memory after his many trips to the realm. Using the islands as landmarks, he swerved right and headed for an large island with a huge rock shaped like a skull. Upon closer inspection, the front of the island was filled with tropical trees making up an ectoplasmic jungle. Vibrant colors of pink and purple from the various plant life could be seen scattered among the jungle.

Daniel flew towards the skull and into the eye. Faced with a black wooden door, he hesitated to knock on it. Although he had knocked on this door several times prior, today his purpose served different, unlike the many other times. He often came here for guidance as she was one to aid him whenever he needed help.

Finally, he lifted his trembling arm and tapped his knuckles on the door 3 times. The door swung open after a minute, revealing a familiar figure.

"Babypop! Glad to see you, come on in."

_Ember._

He forced a smile onto his face and entered the living room. In the center of the area sat a standard couch, however its vibrant purple was an unusual choice. The TV was on, advertising some new ghostly shampoo. A purple guitar with blue accents rested in the corner next to a strange potted plant. On the wall hung two portraits. One he recognized immediately, it was the photograph from the envelope.

He looked over at Ember, who was dressed in her pajamas. Her white top, which had a couple of holes in it, hung loosely off her shoulder and exposed her midsection. Her black satin shorts cut off at her upper thigh and left her slender legs unprotected. Her flaming blue hair was tied into a messy bun, with few strands hanging down. Her hip was cocked to the right as she looked at him intently, TV remote in her left hand and right hand on her hip.

"So what brings you here?" she asked sweetly. Her voice was soothing to hear, especially when she sang. Ember was known throughout the ghost zone for her amazing voice.

"You know… I got another assignment." Daniel replied vaguely. He tried to hide his shaking hands behind his back without her noticing.

"Oh. Do you need some help?" her eyebrows furrowed questioningly. She gestured towards the couch where they both sat down. He slid his backpack onto the ground. She crossed her legs and turned towards, only pressuring him to tell the truth.

But the truth was, he couldn't tell her the truth. She didn't even know the whole story. In actuality, she knew nothing about him. Everything he told her consisted of lies. Lies, lies, lies. That what his existence was.

One big lie.

"Uh… no. I've already found the location. I'm just here to kill some time before she gets there." he shrugged as his expression stayed the same. Acting was a part of the job, a necessary skill that he now excelled at.

"Ah. I see. I can't believe your still looking for your mom." Ember said as she relaxed back into the seat.

He rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous habit of his. That was the only customary nature of his that acting couldn't cure. He chuckled a bit, "yea... You would think that after searching for so many years I would have found her by now…" He returned his hand back to his lap and relaxed in his seat.

Ember was a valuable asset on his missions. She helped him navigate through the large expanse of the realm when he was younger, although now he knew the dimension like the back of his hand. But she also knew almost every ghost since she was a ghost herself, which could be advantageous in the long run. But his father would be expecting him, and he couldn't disappoint him. Not again.

"Is Skulker home?" he asked disrupting the brief silence.

"That hunk of metal went on his 'daily hunt'," she said sarcastically with air quotes. "I asked him to bring me a _real_ trophy, but he never does." she admitted whilst rolling her eyes. He laughed lightly at her joke. She was right, Skulker hardly lived up to his title of 'The Ghost Zone's Greatest Hunter'. Daniel always wondered why Ember dated a loser blob ghost like Skulker, but love was something he never understood.

"I hate this look on you." Ember said lifting her arm and moving his snow-white hair to his left, exposing his right eye. "There, now I can see those gorgeous green eyes of yours." She smiled as he blushed lightly, hints of green peeking on his cheeks.

Ember began to talk about her latest concert while Daniel pretended to listen, although he was lost in his own thoughts. He had done this a million times, what made this time different? Yes, Ember was like a friend to him, but she was also a ghost. And he was… he was different. They could never be true friends.

"... so I sang my latest hit 'Remember' and the crowd loved it! Remember I gave you a sneak peek at the chorus last week?" she exclaimed with such enjoyment. Her world revolved around music. It was something she got so passionate about every time she spoke about it.

"Yea... " he responded without looking at her. His eyes were fixed on the door behind her, disassociated from his words. His mind was swirling, his heart began to pound quicker and quicker.

"Babypop... are you alright?" she said placing her delicate hands on his shoulder.

' _I'm going to call you babypop'. A young girl, around the age of 10, with light blue skin and flaming hair said as she bopped his nose. He laughed at the nickname. It was so funny. Only his mission wasn't so funny._

' _I think we're going to be friends' she said through her wide grin. He never had a friend. Could he.. Could he really have a friend?_

He flinched at her touch, provoking Ember to move backwards in reflex. He glanced at the clock next to the door. Time felt as if it slowed, the hands on the clock moving gradually. It was as if he was given the chance to stop.

_I can't turn back now._

He turned towards Ember and looked her dead in the eyes, green mirroring green.

"I'm sorry." he deadpanned. Before Ember could react, he stood up and blasted an ecto-ray at her. The force sent her tumbling over the couch and onto the floor.

"Babypop, what the fuck?! What's wrong?!" She shouted as she backed up into the wall. One hand clutched her chest where the blast had hit her. The glint of fear could be seen in her widened eyes.

Daniel slowly walked towards her while manifesting his ectopowers around both of his fists. His facial expression of consisted of regret, sympathy, and a hint of a murderous glare.

"I'm really sorry." he said with a single tear running down his cheek. Lifting his arms, he let go of the ecto rays, hitting her on her legs. The tear drop fell on the ground, soaked up by the creme carpet below.

Ember yelped at the encounter and crawled across the floor. Her legs burned with pain, but she knew she needed to move, even if her thoughts were chaoticly jumbled. She needed to grab her guitar. It was the only defense she had.

Daniel continued blasting at her, but Ember evaded each shot as she moved across the living room. Scorch marks on the wall trailed behind her as she dodged the bright green circular balls. His blasts were slow, clearly indicating a hesitation to hurt her. She reached her arm out for the neck of her guitar, wrapping her hand around it and pulling it close. Another blast hit her square on the stomach that sent her flying back into the potted plant. The ceramic pot broke from the impact and sent dirt flying everywhere. She screamed as she writhed under the scorching sensation. The pitch of her voice sent Daniel onto his knees, clutching his ears, due to their hypersensitivity. He groaned loudly at the pain his ears were undergoing, a trickle of ectoplasm leaked from his auditory canal.

Ember used his weak moment to turn the knob at the bottom of her guitar to the punch symbol. Searching her pocket, she took out a guitar pick and strummed a note. Her guitar sent a fist-shaped energy beam towards Daniel. The strength of the beam sent him flying into the stone wall, creating an indent with multiple cracks. A photo frame that was nailed to the wall plummeted down onto his head. With an 'oof', he stood up, taken aback at her defiance.

Daniel turned invisible, shielding himself from her view. Ember stood up with her guitar in hand, confused on where to strike next. Her appearance was worse than before, burn marks impoverishing her blue porcelain skin. Some were oozing ectoplasm. Even her flaming hair had depleted in its fiery rage.

She was afraid. Afraid of what Daniel could do. She didn't have the slightest idea why there was a sudden change in his habit. Confusion encompassed her mind, preventing her from moving.

"Babypop, stop this!" She cried out, the panicky feeling settled at the bottom of her stomach.

"Please don't make this harder than it already is." A voice echoed throughout the room. Ember could sense the uneasiness in his speech. The tremble in his voice was enough to give it away.

Suddenly Daniel appeared in front of her, knocking the guitar out of her hand and pouncing on her. She struggled to remove him from his position, he was just too strong. She looked into his eyes, pain mirroring back at her. He lifted his hand, creating a green strip of ectoplasm and placed it over her mouth, blocking her from speaking. Next he formed an ectoplasmic rope and tied it around her arms as she squirmed all the while.

Tears freely flowed down his cheek as he stood up. He didn't want to do this, but he had to. Unlatching the thermos from his belt he uncapped the object. It emitted a bright blue ray that hit Ember, sending her inside its confines. Putting the cap back on, he chucked the thermos, indenting its stone surface and falling to the floor, rolling towards the lonely, broken guitar. Daniel stood up and fell back onto the couch. He stared at the ceiling in disbelief with his limbs splayed all over the piece of furniture.

He couldn't believe it.

He just did that.

He buried his face into his hands, releasing his internally balled emotions. The only thing he could see was Ember's fear filled face. She was scared. Scared of him.

But the worst was yet to come.


	3. Chapter 2

Soaring through the green void, he kept an iron grip on his thermos. His hair flew behind him as if a gust of wind was blowing through it. Earlier, after laying on the couch for a couple of minutes, he decided to leave before Skulker resolved to come home. Getting up and trudging over to the corner, he shakily grabbed the thermos off the floor. In the corner of his eye he noticed Ember's purple guitar smashed to pieces. He ran a finger along the guitar, tracing the outline of the flaming blue details.

'Do you wanna hear a song?' the young girl asked. Her bright green eyes shimmered under the swirling sky. 'I love to sing! It's my favorite thing in the world!' she exclaimed as her flaming blue pigtails bounced up and down.

'Sure.' Danny replied. He sat down right next to her and listened to her voice. He was amazed at the talent this girl had. Ember, wasn't it? He sat there, eyes closed and swaying along to the beat. It was as if god had sent an angel to him; her notes flowed together in beautiful harmony. The two sat there for some time, underneath the unusually vibrant tree. Her soothing tone was enough to make him almost forget about his job.

Almost.

He hadn't realized he had stopped flying. Now consciously aware of his surroundings, he sped through the atmosphere, overpassing the millions of purple doors. He was always curious to see where some of the doors led to, but he had his fair share of mishaps. Like the time he opened a door only to intrude on Technus taking a shower. Yikes. His mind progressed to wander through many thoughts, until he landed on the elephant in the room.

Although he had accomplished what his father had asked of him, he wasn't quite finished. Why did his father need Ember? What did she ever do to him? Daniel never understood the people his father chose; there was never a clear cut pattern between them.

With these questions in mind, he flew through the dimension at top speed. The quicker he finished, the less to remember. Finally he arrived at the closed portal. Hovering in front of the hexagonal entrance, he slipped off his backpack and opened the front pocket. He took out a small keychain with a red button on it, similar to a car-key. He pressed the button and returned the object back to his backpack, zipped it up, and waited for the doors to open.

Gradually, the trapezoidal doors tore apart from each other, revealing another swirling green vortex. Daniel flew right in, landing on gray marbled floor. The recurring panic swelled within him as he shuffled through the laboratory. Instead of exiting through the hall, he turned right and headed for an iron vault door. Once again he placed his trembling palm on a black scanner to his right. Once a beep resonated in the dismal lab, the circular door handle spun and opened on its own.

He trudged through the entrance and met with a desolate, square room. The walls and the floor were made of a dark grey stone. A lone chair similar to one in the laboratory sat in the center. The walls were completely empty, except for the sole shelf in the left corner. The air had a prison-like feel to it, cold and gloomy.

Closing the door behind him, he let his backpack fall to the floor and walked over to the chair. He unlatched the thermos from his belt with a grimace on his face. Sighing, he uncapped the thermos, unleashing a bright blue beam. Once the beam retreated back into the thermos, Ember sat in the chair, still tied up.

Her presence clenched his heart. The voices in his head began to gradually increase in amplitude. He felt like dropping onto the floor and curling up into a ball. But he couldn't.

She squirmed in her seat, staring at Daniel with wide eyes. She was clueless as to what was happening and where she was.

Mustering up some courage to move, he began to untie the rope around her arms, holding her down with no chance of escape all the while. He knew the quickest way to get what he needed as a result of his previous experiences. He made mistakes along the way, but over the decade he got better.

Finally he reached under the chair and pressed a green button. Thick black straps began to move and wrap themselves around the unsuspecting ghost. Her scream was muffled as she writhed under the shackles grasp, yet she was too weak to fend it off. The straps automatically buckled her in and held her in place.

Daniel dropped his arms and shuffled over to the shelf in the left corner. He stopped mid-reach to the handle. Was he really going to do this? Turning back he looked at the girl. She continued to squirm in her chair. She was innocent; she didn't deserve this shit. Her muffled cries echoed in his mind, prompting an oncoming migraine.

He continued to twist the handle of the shelf and swing the door open. Inside resided a myriad of weapons: guns, swords, rays, blasters, whips, building tools, vials of various potions, etc. He reached in and brought out a grappling hook. Its silver claws were sharp enough to kill one instantly. The body of the object was black with green accents and an assortment of buttons.

Shutting the shelf, the predator returned to his prey. Holding the grappling hook in his left hand, he slowly removed the green ectoplasmic gauze from her mouth which dissolved in his hand immediately.

Gasping, Ember screamed. Daniel shoved his hand in front of her mouth to silence her. He nodded his head in her direction and she nodded back, suggesting she keep quiet and he remove his hand. She stared at his eyes, but his gaze was focused behind her. He couldn't bring himself to look her in the eye. He felt terrible standing there with his only acquaintance shackled to a dentist chair.

"What the fuck is going on?! Let me go!" She screeched trying to move her arms to no avail. Tears pricked her eyes as they streamed across downward.

Instead of replying, a bright flash emitted from Daniels waist, producing 2 blue rings that traveled over his body. When he opened his eyes, crystal blue gazed back at neon green. Embers mouth hung open, eyes still wide.

"Y-your… human!" she clamored as her eyes traveled up and down his figure. "B-but, I thought you were a ghost…" Terror was evident in her facial expression. That face would be imprinted in his memory forever.

"I'm both." he said straight-faced, still avoiding eye-contact.

"What are you gonna do to me?..." she uttered quickly.

"It won't hurt. I promise." he whispered, eyes glazed over.

Daniel slowly raised his arm, grappling hook ready to shoot. His cocked the weapon, claws sharpened to inflict pain. Ember kept shaking her head in disbelief, not fully comprehending the intensity of the situation. Suddenly he went invisible and the shot went off. Ember shrieked at the startling boom, squeezing her eyes shut, awaiting the pain.

Yet, nothing came.

Slowly she opened one eye, and noticed Daniel in the top corner of the wall, ripping a camera off the wall. She hadn't even noticed the devices. She was still focused on the fact that this boy was half-human.

Daniel jumped from his position and onto the floor, sparking camera in hand. He threw it to the corner and ran up to Ember. Crouching down, he pressed a red button on the bottom of the chair. The straps around Embers limbs began to recede back into the chair. Ember sat up, confused, rubbing her wrists that ached from the shackles taut grip.

"We don't have much time. Come on." Daniel hastily said, eyebrows furrowed nervously. His facial expressions illustrated true concern. He glanced behind him and simultaneously grabbed Embers hand. Ember held on tight as he pulled her off the chair and the two scurried towards the door.

"The walls are ghost proof, but once we're out, fly. Okay?" he said as he twisted the handle to the door, swinging it open. Before she could reply, the two were blasted back into the shelf. Ember yelped at the impact from her back hitting the wall. They were still holding hands.

Vlad Masters stood in front of the door, hands manifesting pink ecto energy. His face displayed pure outrage. His teeth were barred shut with a hint of fangs peeking out.

"Don't hurt her! She did nothing wrong." Daniel said standing up into a protective position. His fists were balled up and ready to fight. A trickle of blood began to run down his face. His head hurt after striking the wall vigorously. Vlad erupted into maniacal laughter.

"You think this bitch did nothing wrong? You're so gullible." he bellowed taking a step forward. Ember shivered behind Daniel at the sheer chaotic aura.

"You just enjoy hurting the innocent!" Daniel screamed at his father. His hands were now radiating ecto-energy, ready to shoot at any moment. Swiftly, Vlad let go of his powers, blasting his son and Ember. Their skin writhed under the fiery heat of his brute force.

Vlad simultaneously formed a pink ectoplasm hand that wrapped around Daniel and placed Ember back into the chair, restraining both of them from moving. Daniel grunted and squirmed to be free, using all his strength and only exhausting himself further. Ember on the other hand was screaming her lungs out. Now she understood that she was in the human realm. She understood that she was in grave danger.

"Please stop! I-I didn't do anything Vlad!" Ember screeched wide eyed. Although she recognized the elder man, she didn't know he was half-human. Or that his son was Babypop.

"On the contrary. You helped my son." he smiled broadly and whipped to look at Daniel. The outright desperateness on Daniel's face should have been enough to convince any man of the error in his actions. But Vlad was no man. "You think I didn't know she was assisting you?! I have eyes EVERYWHERE Daniel. I'm always watching."

Daniel couldn't believe it. He was played, just like a chess piece. That's all he was in his father's eyes. A pawn. "... I'm sorry…" he whispered.

"What was that?!" Vlad said while telekinetically bringing the pink restraint Daniel was caught in closer to him.

"I'm sorry father." Daniel said a little louder. Vlad chuckled and released his son from the ectoplasmic hand. He fell on his knees, lungs gasping for a breath after being severely compressed.

"Now, finish the job." Vlad smoothly said as he retrieved a long hammer from the weapon shelf. Placing it into his sons hand, he smiled psychotically and returned his hands to his sides.

Daniel glared at the hammer. Too much was going on his mind, disorganization among the biggest of them. He felt the world spin, round, and round, and round. He considered rejecting his father's demand and swinging the hammer at his moronic smirk instead.

Walking towards Ember, his entire body trembled. Vlad stood behind and smirked at the scene. Daniel squeezed his eyes shut, attempting to rid himself of the excess noise. He had done this several times. Only, this time he was forced to.

Reopening his eyes, he halted in front of the chair where Ember sat. She again made an effort to flee, but the shackles were too tight to allow much movement.

You can't do this.

Daniel held the bottom of the hammer with two hands, gripping it firmly.

You won't do this.

The now suspended tool glinted under the illumination of a single light bulb.

stop.

With a swift motion, the hammer plunged down and into the poor, unsuspecting ghost. Ectoplasm splattered everywhere, some falling onto Daniel's face, some onto his clothes. Ember's ear splitting scream echoed throughout the bleak, stone room.

STOP.

He raised the hammer once more and swung down with all his strength. This time, silence was the only noise.

Daniel dropped the hammer onto the floor, an audible clunk rang throughout the room. He fell down onto his knees as his tears fell down his cheeks. He sat there sobbing into his green-stained clothes while his father cackled behind him.

Vlad exited the room as the core-shattered ghost that once sat in the chair decomposed into a pile of ectoplasm. The green substance oozed from the chair and onto the floor, dropping onto Daniel's hands.

The sorrowful boy continued to sit there, encompassed by the darkness and the weight of his actions.


	4. Chapter 3

Once again he found himself dragging his body through the devoid halls, his clothes drenched in ectoplasm. His head throbbed in agony, pulsating with each step he took. Walking down the halls took all the energy he had. He had mopped up the final remains of Ember, cleansing the the floors and walls till they were spotless. Muscles aching, his stomach grumbled with the realization that he hadn't eaten lunch. No worries, dinner was in another hour. He could wait.

The image of Ember's face haunted his soul. Maybe she was in a better place now, hopefully. Although the afterlife was a safe haven from fullon nonexistence, no one knew what happened when a ghosts core was fractured.

_Ember knows now._

He regretted his actions dearly. The metaphorical hand of failure wrapped around his neck and squeezed till he could no longer breathe. However, he was half-ghost, so he didn't need the intake of oxygen. His father would definitely reprimand his antagonistic actions the moment he saw him.

What was he thinking? _Playing hero for Ember, ha._ He could never abscond from his father without his notice. He really was a fool, instilling hope in the innocent ghost. He began to chuckle at his own stupidity, his voice echoing throughout the deserted hall.

Once he reached his room, he opened the door and slipped in. He continued his daily routine after _hurting_ a ghost. Typically the hunt for the ghost took two or three days max, but Ember was an exception. He knew where to find her, although he wished he didn't. Removing his clothes, he stepped into the shower.

Usually his showers were relaxing, but this time all he felt was remorse, suffering, heartache, etc. He scrubbed his body, but he felt as if dirt and grit remained. It was attached to him, coating his skin and spreading until it covered every inch. He couldn't eradicate himself of his behavior, just like the memories he couldn't expel from his mind.

Drying himself, he wrapped the towel around his waist and shoved his dirty clothes into his laundry hamper. The basket was spilling out with clothes covered in the green substance. He needed to do his laundry soon, before his father came for his weekly room inspection.

Walking out of his bathroom, he dressed himself in his brand-named clothes and made sure to comb his damp hair. He looked at himself in the mirror, grimacing at the scar that ran across the right side of his forehead. Luckily, the wound lay hidden under his bangs.

Next he sat on his couch and polished his shoes. Wiping away the ghostly matter with a towel, he scowled at the lemony scent that tackled his nose. He continued to rub the remains of his only friend away as he tried not to breathe. Finishing, he slipped his socks and shoes on, discarding the now green towel.

Looking up, he noticed the dreariness outside the window. The gray sky was littered with altostratus clouds as the trees swayed through the rigid wind. Bits of snow fell and grazed the yellowing grass. Icicles hung from the bare trunks of the trees, awaiting their moment to descend into the blanket of snow. He always desired to sit in the luscious grass on a warm summer day and read a good book. Maybe a sci-fi. The light from the sun that streamed through the windows always warmed his heart, like a loving family should.

The only view from the windows of the entire mansion were of a forest. No other signs of life could be seen, even the natural wildlife. He never witnessed a squirrel scurry across the snow or a bird fly through the sky. Daniel never understood why his father chose to build his home within a forest, but then again, he never understood his father in general. The man was so vague, only demanding his son to follow his every whim. Finally, he ripped his gaze away from the window and took off to the hall.

Dreading the upcoming encounter with his father, he trekked down the stairs and into the dining hall, sitting down in his spot. His father sat paging through a newspaper, waiting for his son to join him. Lucy entered the room from the kitchen with two full trays of food. The chef had prepared a delicious turkey salisbury steak with broccoli and mashed potatoes on the side. Daniel never had a preference for dinner, he just ate whatever without a complaint. Plus if he made the slightest complaint, he would be terribly injured by the end of his sentence.

Just as he picked up his fork, his father set down his newspaper. Vlad's mouth, which had previously formed a straight line, began to curl upwards. His demonic grin was enough to make Daniel sick to his stomach.

Daniel felt the urge to run to his room and speed away from his worst nightmare. He gripped the table to avert his attention away from fleeing. His heart palpitated fiercely within his chest, triggering the release of cortisol, a blood-pressure increasing hormone. His breathing began to pick up the pace, rapidly shortening in length.

Vlad placed his hands on the table, curling his fingers together. Eyeing his son, Vlad opened his mouth to speak, only to be intruded by Daniel.

"Why did you do that? She could have been useful." he interrupted speaking softly. Vlad sat there, gawking at his son.

"Since when did you question my actions?" Vlad replied growling. His fangs started to peak from his frown.

"Everyday." Daniel's voice echoed through the room. Fortunately, the kitchen staff couldn't hear him through the sound proof walls, his father made sure of that when he built the mansion.

Vlad was shocked at his son's assertion. He never once talked back in his life or looked so confident doing so, until now. "Did you just talk back to me?"

"Yes." The food was getting colder.

Vlad stood up suddenly, swinging his arm at the table and knocking down a wine glass. The liquid coated the floor like a bloodstain while the glass shattered into a million filaments. Leaning over the table, he whispered "Don't you _ever_ disobey me again. Understood?"

Daniel stood up; he was going to be in immense trouble for this. "No." he deadpanned as he starred his father in the eye.

Vlad shook his head in disbelief. His son was in it for now. "How _dare_ you, you son of a bitch! I provide you with this luxury life and this is how you repay me?!" He was shouting now, eyes glinting with hints of blood red. He swung his arm onto the table, striking it hard enough to break the edge in two. His dinner slid down towards the crack, ceramic plates exploding in every direction. Daniel flinched at the sound.

"I don't need a luxurious life." he replied sharply. His father began to laugh now, his chuckles ringing through the airy room.

"Don't need me, ha." Vlad snickered darkly, "You couldn't even stand a single day _without_ me."

"Watch me." Daniel retorted straight-faced. This time, he didn't tremble or squeak, he asserted his ground. His hands were balled into fists, glowing ecto energy surrounding them. He stood tall, defending himself for the first time in his life.

"... devil." the word rolled of Daniel's tongue effortlessly.

_Shit._

Vlad growled and lunged for him, but Daniel anticipated his move. Grabbing a dull silver knife off the table, he plunged it into his father's right arm. He grunted and fell to the floor, clutching his brachium that was now spewing blood. Daniel took the opportunity to slip away by calling upon his invisibility.

Hardly escaping his father's claws, Daniel zoomed through the dining room, flying into the main foyer. There he soared past the red curtains, adopting a zig-zag pattern in order to shake off his father, not knowing if he was following him or not. He didn't risk looking back, in fear of witnessing his father's devilish glare.

He took the long way to his room. Flying all the way to the other side of the mansion, up the stairs, and back to his room. He didn't care if the staff saw him zoom past, they would only see a blur. He would have flown directly through the walls, if they weren't ghost proof. Entering his room, he grabbed his backpack from earlier, which still held weapons, and stuffed in some clothes, snacks, and a bottle of water. He dug through his sock drawer and took out a wad of cash, shoving it into his backpack as well. He had stolen the money from his father years ago, in case of an emergency like this. He grabbed a jacket from his closet and threw it on.

The ghost shield around the mansion made it impossible to leave, so Daniel decided to tear it down. Once again returning to invisibility, he flew through the mansion. Over the years, he kept track of the rooms in the enormous estate. There were a few doors that were password protected, but only one of those doors caught his attention. Flying down the stairs he headed straight ahead into another long hall. He stopped at a black door and began pressing buttons on a keypad resting on the handle.

He typed in his father's birthday.

_Incorrect._

The day his father became a halfa.

_Incorrect._

His own birthday.

_Yes!_

Mentally congratulating himself while simultaneously considering why the password was his birthday, he entered the room without a sound, locking it behind him. Inside were huge silver furnaces, yet the atmosphere reeked of the unforgettable smell of ectoplasm. He turned back to visible and wound his way through the eerie room while concurrently pinching his nose. He came across a silver box on the wall with a large green 'x' on it. He opened it swiftly, and was met with a ton of wires. Anxiously anticipating his father's appearance, he pulled the wires with a grunt. His objective was to destroy anything that brought about suspicion.

He would have guessed that time had slowed down, as that's what it felt like. Ripping the wires, he felt an invisible weight lift off his shoulder. He smiled; the feeling felt like nothing he had ever felt before. The sparks flew to his right as he was unexpectedly thrown into a giant silver cylinder. He groaned an sat up, only to be enclosed within a circle of fervor.

The green flames roared and scorched against his skin. He struggled to breathe, coughing intensely. This was no ordinary fire, ectoplasmic fire was a danger to all, even half-ghosts like him. Breathing in its fervent smoke could reduce one's strength significantly. Daniel had only ever encountered the fire once in his life, fortunately escaping before intaking it, but the stories were enough to scare him.

Shuddering to move out of the room, he clutched his shirt. His lungs burned under the intense heat as the lemony aroma attacked his mind. His brain throbbed in his head, skin beginning to char. He couldn't see through the thick smoke as he dragged himself through. His limbs protested any movement, but he ignored them. He felt defenseless. Even his ghost core felt so far away, although it was situated in his chest. He was also starving. Skipping dinner hadn't been his brightest idea.

Suddenly he was on the ground. Something sharp clawed across his stomach, shredding his expensive clothes. He shrieked at the pain and squirmed under someone's grasp. Through the fog he could see two glowing red orbs.

_The devil._

He yelped as he forced out a shield of ectoplasm. His father was thrown off of him and into another silver furnace. Steam escaped from the now ruptured cylinder and suffused into the room. Coughing, Daniel grabbed ahold of the nearest object and brought him onto his feet. His legs were shaking, begging him to stop. He heard a groan to his right.

Trudging and clutching his injured stomach, he continued through the room. He couldn't just walk away from his father, he needed to hide. Before he could ponder anymore, he felt a tug on his hair. His head slammed into the concrete floor below, knocking the breath out of him. His head exploded in agony, as if he was dying all over again. He felt a cold substance trickle through his hair.

Clenching his eyes shut, Daniel felt hot breath on his ear. "You will _never_ escape. You goddamn piece of shit. You don't understand anything. Even if you leave, you'll never _survive_. The world's too cruel for you." he paused, catching his breath. " _Your safe here._ " Vlad gripped his sons hair firmly, twisting to induce more pain.

Daniel couldn't take it anymore. Quickly opening his eyes he grabbed his father by his forearms and yeeted him across the room. The impact of his father's body hitting the wall rang through his mind. His entire body was shaking now, but he got up once more.

"I NEVER WANTED ANY OF THIS!" Daniel shrieked at the top of his lungs. His hands ran through his hair, staining them with his blood red liquid. He needed to gain control once more. Mustering all the strength he could, he soared straight through the wall and out of the house, charred backpack still in hand.

_It worked. The shield was gone._

He escaped. He was now outside.

_Outside._

_Away from the devil._

Zooming under the stars and above the trees, just like his dreams, he felt himself tire. He continued for what felt like an eternity. Finally he lowered himself, but landed roughly, tumbling into the frigid snow. His jacket was ripped into scraps clinging to his body. The rest of his clothes were ripped in various spots and encompassed in black soot. He risked looking back, but was only met with bare trees surrounded by the night sky.

His eyes fluttered to close, but he fought the instinct. With his heightened night vision, he was able to navigate his way through the dark. He took off his destroyed jacket and ripped it into strips of fabric. Lifting his once white shirt now splotched with a large crimson stain, he wrapped the jacket strips around his abdomen and hissed at the sting.

Once he finished, he laid down into the frozen white blanket. It felt so relaxing against his burning skin. The cold didn't bother him since he had an ice core. He was used to the icy sensation when he mustered up ice shards.

A grin began to spread across his features. He was finally free.

Free.

He never thought he could utter those words through his lips. He sat back up and reached into his backpack, pulling out a packet of Lays chips. He devoured the entire bag under seconds. The little boost of sodium gave him little energy, enough to take a quick flight. He couldn't stay here long. His father could locate him any moment.

_How could I forget?_

Searching his backpack, he uncovered a knife. Rolling his left sleeve up, he penetrated the tip into his wrist. Grunting at the impact, he twisted it until he felt something underneath. Blood rushed down his wrist and blotching the pure snow. He gouged a small rectangular chip out of his wrist. Slowly removing the chip, he threw it into the snow and used another jacket strip to apply pressure and prevent any more loseage of blood.

Vlad had input a little chip under Daniel's skin when he was little, although he never knew where to find it. After injuring his left wrist several times, he could feel something unusual against his muscles. From there he realized the chip was probably located there. Luckily, he didn't just stab himself for nothing. With the chip, his father could locate him anywhere, except the ghost zone, or so he previously thought.

He struggled to stand up, but finally made his way onto his quivering feet. Transforming invisibly to not attract any attention to himself, he levitated in the air amd zoomed off. He didn't know where he was going, nor did he care less.

He munched on a granola bar as he soared over the trees, marvelling at the beauty of the outdoors. He observed many critters scattering throughout the night.

As time passed he felt himself become more tired, until he was unable to continue. The forest seemed to continue forever, a sea of bare trees.

Just as Daniel felt like he was about to collapse, he saw a small light ahead. Instilling hope in his little innocent heart, he sped off towards the light. Its illumination grew larger and larger, until he came upon a road. Cars, something he never witnessed before, zoomed past on the road. The luminous glow originated from the streetlamps.

Knowing he couldn't continue, he dove towards the cars and decided to hop in one. Awaiting for the perfect vehicle he could escape in, he noticed a large moving van driving by. He instantly flew in, removing his backpack and transforming back into his human self.

Before he could lay down on a sofa, he was already knocked out.

* * *

In a black office chair, sat a man with a ruffled suit. His silvery hair was tousled in several directions. Bandages were wrapped around his arm and forehead, some parts stained with a wine-red substance. The man swiveled in his chair to face his desk, eyes transfixed in a dissociated state.

"Did you find him?" He growled through his barred teeth. His naturally blue eyes were gleaming with hints of blood red. Two giant, neon green figures, one in the shape of a bear while the other a rabbit, returned a growl. The bear placed its paw on the desk, opening it to reveal a small rectangular object covered in flaky dried blood.

"You incompetent fools! I request of you the simplest of jobs and you return empty handed?!" His voice rang through the office room. His expression displayed pure fury. The ghosts stood in panic, afraid for their afterlives.

Vlad Masters stood up as a white circle of light descended down his body. His silvery hair was now fixed into two horns, its color matching that of the night sky. His wrinkled and worn suit was replaced with a silver long-sleeved top and pants, with a matching cape. A black belt was bound to his waist, containing various buttons with specialized functions. His outfit was complete with red accents, pair of jet black boots, and matching gloves. His skin had a blue tint to it. Hovering over the chair, the devil smirked at the two innocuous entities.

Manifesting his telekinesis, he grabbed ahold of the two specters by their throats, squeezing tautly. "The next time I ask of something, I want it _done_." he slammed the two ghosts onto the floor. The entities grunted in response, unable to speak in return.

"Oh wait, there will be no _next time_." He once again picked the ghosts clutching their chests, this time with his gloved hands. Crushing their cores, he continued to hold up the ghosts till they began to dissolve into a clump of ectoplasm. The green substance ran down his arms and onto the floor as he grinned diabolically.

He wiped his hands on his silvery cape, calling upon his transformation back into human from. He once again sat down in his office chair, rotating to turn to the bleak window. Leaning forward, he whispered.

"I will find you."

"And you will want me."


	5. Chapter 4

' _You need me.'_

' _No I don't.'_

' _You want me.'_

' _No I don't.'_

_The devil began to multiply and evolve, growing in number and size to surround Daniel. Their smirks gradually took over their faces, spreading like the Cheshire cat. Their stances unveiled dominance and madness. Behind them roared the intense inferno, red flames blazing to touch the ceiling. 'You will never escape.' they said in unison._

_Behind the numerous devil's rested a cage with an indistinct figure inside. Daniel ran through the mob of monsters, pushing them aside to reach the cage. Their eyes continued to follow him, searing into his fragile skin. Instinctively, he recognized the need to save whoever was in there. As he neared the silver restraint, he noticed a ghost with flaming blue hair sitting on the floor, bawling her eyes out. His pace slowed as he reached the cage._

_Ember. Was it really her? Was she back?!_

_She suddenly stopped crying and her head pivoted to face him. 'YOU DIDN'T SAVE ME…' she shrieked as she began to ooze into a pile of ectoplasm. The noise pierced his ears and he fell to the ground, clutching his ears to stop the noise._

' _THIS ISN'T WHAT I WANTED!' Daniel shouted just as the largest of the devil's monstrous hand lept for him. Daniel squirmed to be set free, but he was stuck within the palm of the demon. The devil's all began shrieking, their laughter ringing through his head and tearing the little sanity he had left._

' _You will never get what you want.' The largest devil's voice echoed. The fire thundered to match his words. 'You're my little pawn. You do what I want. Understood?' The laughter picked up again and rumbled throughout the inferno._

' _Stop. Please. STOP!' Daniel shrieked as blood poured out of his ear and dripped down his face. He couldn't hold consciousness anymore._

Daniel gasped and sat up suddenly, only to bump his head on the table above him. It was cramped in the vehicle with all the pieces of furniture, but there was enough space for a half-ghost teenager to fit in. The events of yesterday hit him like a train, prompting him to lie back down and sigh. He rubbed his head as a migraine began to form. So he really was free. Away from the devil. Closing his eyes, he continued to doze off.

With his heightened hearing he heard a screech and noticed that the vehicle had stopped moving. Realizing he needed to take off before anyone noticed him, he went invisible and flew through the wall. Just as he exited, the back doors opened and two men began unloading the furniture.

He flew off into the sky, not understanding where he was. The van had stopped in a suburban neighborhood. According to the sky, it was late morning. He flew out of the neighborhood area into the parking lot of a strip mall. Becoming visible again, he landed on the floor and rounded the corner. His back contacted the stone wall as he slid down into a sitting position. He placed his pounding head into his hands.

_Now what?_

He couldn't evade his father forever, _right?_ At some point his money would run out and he wouldn't be able to provide for himself. He needed some way to fit in and save money.

Lifting his head he noticed his hands covered in soot. _I need a shower. A warm shower_. He needed to change his clothes too, before someone noticed a ash-coated teen with a tattered attire walking around. He got up, went invisible, and sprung into the air. He ground was covered with a thick blanket of snow, making it harder to spot what he was searching for.

After soaring through the frigid atmosphere, he discovered a forest filled with pine trees. He knew he could find what he was looking for within the thicket of timber, but overlooking the woods he couldn't see under the large evergreens. Plunging to the ground, he landed swiftly on his feet in front of the forest. He trekked on foot, searching and searching. The forest seemed deserted, except for the little wildlife not hibernating.

Finally noticing a glimmer from a distance, he raced towards it. Upon closer inspection, he came across a frozen pond.

 _It's not ideal, but I've been through worse_.

Blasting a hole onto the pond, he shattered the layer of ice that sat upon it. He didn't notice any fish in the pool of water unfortunately. He lightly tested the water with his fingers, a cold sensation running up his spine. He manifested ecto energy on his palms and placed it down onto the pond. Soon he saw the water begin to smoke, fog rising into the air. He removed his hands and checked the water temperature again.

 _Perfect_.

Removing his clothes and tossing them aside, he stepped into the water. The liquid rose up to his armpits when he sat down. His muscles softened as he relaxed into the warm sensation. He had created his own hot tub.

_Ha, beat that, father._

He scrubbed himself clean of the ash. Once he was finished, the water had returned to its original temperature. He got out and fished for a new pair of clothes in his backpack. Realizing he had only packed one outfit, he was careful to not get it dirty. Slipping his collared shirt, boxers, blazer, and pants on, he tied his shoes and stood up. He grabbed his backpack and took out a packet of Chex Mix.

He ate as he considered what his next objective was. He couldn't leave behind any evidence, so he decided to burn his clothes and trash. Throwing everything into a pile along with a few pieces of kindling, he sent three ecto-blasts towards it. The clothes immediately lit up, blazing red and orange. Although there would still be some indication that someone was here from the now black stained snow and smoke, it would wear away after some time.

He was proud of himself for surviving this long away from his father. Although his entire life he desired to be away from him, he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. He had stabbed his father, threw him into a wall, and set ablaze his only 'safe haven'. That wasn't exactly the best goodbye he could have given his old man. But no matter, he was quite a distance away from the devil and had no intention of returning back to hell.

Daniel decided to trek through the forest instead of flying since he had all the time in the world. He also settled to return to the strip mall and find a way from there. Walking through the forest felt like bliss, the cold radiated through his jacket, but it was better than the devoid sensation of the stone halls back home. He hadn't the slightest idea from which way he came, but luckily his footprints still showed through the snow, so he followed them.

He began humming a song as he strolled, but he couldn't recall the name of the song or where he heard it from. But then he realized. He stopped in his tracks, glaring straight ahead subconsciously.

_Ember's song._

It was the last song he heard her sing. Shaking it off and continuing his journey, he remembered the last visit he paid her.

' _Hey Ember' Daniel said sheepishly, grinning as he entered into the living room._

' _Hey Babypop!' she squealed as she hugged him tightly. A light green blush tinted his cheeks, but they vanished just before she noticed. She stretched out her arms to look him in the face. 'You're just in time to see to hear my newest song,' she said as she grabbed his hand and pulled him further into the room. 'come on!'_

_He smiled as she yanked him through the living room, past the kitchen, and into her bedroom. Her guitar rested on her black comforter detailed with skulls. They both hopped onto the bed, giggling as she picked up her guitar and pic._

' _Just a sneak peek alright? I still want to keep you waiting for the entire performance. You are coming right? Remember the tickets I gave you?' her mouth moved a mile a minute. She was so passionate when it came to music._

' _Y-yeah. I'm coming.' he said as he rubbed his neck nervously. No way would his father ever approve of him going to a concert in the ghost zone. But he couldn't tell Ember that. And it wasn't like he would be seen in the crowd of thousands of ghosts anyways._

' _Great! Now here's a little something I like to call Remember' she exclaimed. Ember began to strum her guitar singing the chorus of her future hallmark song. 'Ember, you will remember. Ember, one thing remains. Ooh Ember, so warm and tender! You will remember my name.' With a final strum of her guitar, he clapped for her._

' _That's amazing.' he replied beaming. 'Your fans are going to live again with that hit.' her vocal range was quite impressive. And with her song, she was going to have so many swooning over her. They surely were going to remember Ember Mclain._

_Just like him._

_But he would remember for the wrong reasons._

He returned to consciousness, blinking away the surreality. His smile from earlier faltered as he tripped over a log, catching his balance before tumbling into the snow. He was living a life of luxury while Ember was who knows where. And it was all his fault. Maybe if he had disobeyed his father he could have saved her. He knew he should of swung the hammer at his father's demonic glare instead of Ember's core. But now it was too late.

He finally reached the end of the trail of his footprints. Going invisible, he vaulted into the air, continuing the rest of his path in the air. He couldn't remember where he came from, so he resolved to go to the nearest store. Within a mile of flying, he spotted a link of stores. He headed for the shopping center, descending to the ground. Once he contacted the floor, he turned visible and whirled to walk to the front of the store.

_Now what?_

He didn't want to buy anything, but he also didn't want to do absolutely nothing, so he entered the store. Inside, he realized it was a grocery store. Produce lined the right side of the large space. Next to it were refrigerators stocked with dairy products. On the left were shelfs equipped with non-perishables and other food items. Maybe he could buy something for dinner.

"Aren't you supposed to be in school?" a voice out of nowhere said. Daniel turned to see a woman with blonde hair tied into a messy bun. _The cashier._ She stuck her finger out at him with a lazy expression on her face. She couldn't be older than 25.

"I -uh." before entirely responding, he dashed out of through the automatic doors and into the parking lot. He heard a muffled cry behind him, but he didn't bother to listen. He continued to run into the streets, using the sidewalk as a guide. Once he was a safe distance away, he swiveled to hide behind a bare oak tree. His hands were on his knees as he panted softly. Droplets of sweat descended down his forehead. Even in winter he could find a way to sweat. So maybe he used a bit of his supernatural strength to race out of there, _so what_? Hopefully the cashier didn't notice.

But she did have a point. A teenager roaming the streets wasn't the ideal situation. Since he wasn't 18 yet, he was sure to be called either homeless or a runaway. He didn't need the police involved. If they found him, he would receive a one-way ticket back to his father. And back to hell.

Deciding to research some more, he resolved to find a library and use a computer. Although, he didn't know where to find a library. Entering back into the open and walking along the sidewalk, he noticed someone walking towards him. He waved frantically, hoping to grasp their attention.

As the figure came closer, he was able to make out a man wearing athletic wear. The man noticed him and removed some white bulbs from his ears that were connected to his phone by wires. Were those earbuds he had heard of once?

"What's up kiddo?" The man's said in a friendly tone. It felt strange to hear an actual human voice that contrasted his father's greatly.

"Uh- do you know where I could find a library?" Daniel asked softly. Hopefully the man wouldn't answer his question with more questions.

"Yea, your in luck. It's only a 20 minute walk from here. Take a right on McBerry street, then continue until you hit an intersection. Turn left on Winona street and then from there you should be able to see a large building on your left. That's the library." the man said as he gestured the directions.

"Thanks!" Daniel replied quickly, not waiting for the man to reply back. He took off, following the mans guidance. He continued walking till he noticed a pole with a green sign displaying the words 'McBerry Street'. He took a right and progressed forward for another 15 minutes. He passed by more homes that looked almost identical in shape, other than their different colors. Most of the homes looked vacant with their dark windows. Daniel guessed that the residents were off working or studying at school. The chain of trees situated in the front yards were all stricken of their leaves, bare to the twig. The sidewalk was somewhat slippery with chunks of ice forming a rocky sheet, but he was able to keep his balance majority of the time. Nearing Winona street, he turned left and noticed a building in the distance. He headed in the direction of the building presumed to be the library.

Nearing the library, he noticed a sign outside the building. _Johnsville Library._ So he was on the correct path. Opening the door, he felt a wave of warmth hit him. The air conditioner blew his hair away from his right eye, but he returned the strands back to its previous position. Entering the library, he was reminded of the one back home, however this one was more vibrant with its posters and modern looking furniture. Shelves stacked with books filled the area. In the center, sat a table peppered with computers ready to be used. Few people actually were inside the building, most of them sitting on the couches in the far corner reading a book.

He took a seat at one of the computers farthest away from the checkout. The desktop was already opened to google. In his lifetime, he had used a computer several times. His father occasionally graced him with the opportunity to search the internet for a maximum of two hours. Typically three times a month. He always said yes and learned more about the world around him. His research was the only reason he was still surviving, otherwise he would have been like a newborn child entering the world for the first time.

He first searched for his current location.

_Amity Park, Minnesota._

_What?_ He went north? It made some sense considering there was more snow here than his father's mansion back in Colorado. He then searched for the distance between the two states.

_992 miles. 16 hours and 27 minutes._

_Was I asleep in the van for 16 hours?_ He hadn't slept that long since he was an infant. The rest was helpful though, as he recalled being quite energized after being startled awake. But there was still no way his father could find him here. Out of all the places he could be, Minnesota was one of the most unlikely. It would have been better to get out of the country, but then he would have to waste some of his money on a plane ticket. Unless he flew, but flying over the ocean would be next to impossible. Although he could hitch a plane ride by sitting in the cargo… he set that as plan B. He still had some things in mind he wanted to accomplish.

Daniel proceeded to research about Amity Park. He found some interesting information. Amity Park was among the smallest of cities in the midwest state of Minnesota. So small, that they only had one high school, Casper high. That was good news. He could stay here for the time being till he found a better way to provide for himself. And what better way to amuse himself than going to school?

To be able to interact with other humans his age would be a life-altering experience. He didn't care if he had to work through it, anything was better than roaming the frigid streets of the petite town. He googled Casper high, coming upon a website with a raven as its mascot. Toying around the site, he found a link to application forms.

_Score!_

He entered his information, changing some of the details.

_Full name: Daniel James Masters. Being accustomed to his name, he knew he wouldn't reply to any fake name he could provide. But he never had a middle or last name. James was a name he had seen on one the portraits in the hall. His father's last name was Masters, so it seemed the most reasonable. He kept it the same since he anticipated his father would be looking for a Daniel with a different last name, not something so obvious as his father's last name._

_Gender: male._

_Date of Birth: February 15th, 2001. Originally his birthday was April 3rd, 2001, but he needed to switch it up._

_Age: 17 years. He couldn't fake his age even if he tried._

_Origin: USA. He kept his home simple, although he knew people would ask where he came from. He would have to think of something by then._

_Reason for Application: Previously homeschooled, looking to join a school._

He filled in a couple of other questions, answering them to the best of his ability. At the bottom of the document, it requested him to make an appointment and notify the school when he wanted to join. He decided to see the school tomorrow, and join immediately the next day. Once he finished, he pressed the enter key on the computer and smiled.

He was going to high school.

* * *

 

He scrutinized the long sheet of paper in his hands. Somewhat memorizing the town's map, he put it down and returned back to the computer in front of him. Earlier, he decided to stay in the library till they closed, which was in 13 minutes. He glanced at the time on the right corner of the desktop. _5:47 p.m.._ During his visit here, he had learned more about high school and Amity Park. Right now he resolved to find a place to stay using the map he printed earlier.

Searching for a deserted area of the town, he came upon a section of the map with apartments that were currently being remodeled. He typed up the location, trying to look into it further. Apparently construction was on hiatus for winter, but the building was fully fabricated except for the inside furnishing. All he needed was a roof over his head and someplace to sleep, and he was good to go. And this place looked good enough.

_5 minutes till the library closes. Please check out now and exit. Have a nice day!_

The intercom fizzled back to obscurity as Daniel quickened his pace. He went back to the school application from and printed the confirmation sheet. He also printed out the directions to the apartment complexes. Before leaving, he made sure to delete his history so wouldn't leave a trace.

He exited the library, waving at the librarian just as he passed the door. Her warm, toothy smile was enough to fill his heart with some warmth. Suddenly he was reminded of Lucy. Her smile was actually quite similar. As he rounded the corner of the library, he wondered how the staff had taken his disappearance.

_Did they even notice the difference? Is father covering me up?_

There was no way his father had died in the fire. With his determination and strength, he would have escaped easily. However, did his father smother the flames in time to save the mansion? He hadn't seen any mansions go down in flames when he checked the news, so most likely his father had stopped the fire. _But how?_ Ectoplasmic fire was almost impossible to destroy. He didn't have time to question this now though, he was on a mission to find shelter.

He transformed into his ghost form invisibly, jumped into the air, and soared through the darkening sky. Using the map and his supernatural sight, he used the landmarks to make his way over to his destination. Back in Colorado, winter time meant the sun set around 5:30 in the evening. Here, the sun set around 4:45. Although the difference wasn't quite noticeable, it meant he would get more time to fly through the sky unnoticed for the most part. Minnesota was obviously more colder than his home, but he wasn't bothered by it. If anything, it reminded him of the Far Frozen back in the ghost zone, but all for the wrong reasons.

_Ectoplasm stained snow._

He faltered mid flight and plunged down towards the ground. Before he could realize the situation, he contacted the ground with his back first, an audible crack perceived through his tumble. Somewhere in his fall he had returned to visibility. Although the white flurry comforted his fall, he still felt a tingling sensation in his shoulder. Realizing he had dislocated it, he clenched his eyes, bit his lip, and popped it back in place. It would heal in an hour or so. Hissing at the pain, he glanced at his surroundings, he was in the middle of some playground. Luckily, it was too dark for anyone to be out at the time. Standing up and dusting himself of the snow, behind a tree he noticed a large figure looking at him.

His heart quickened pace and he took a step closer. Squinting, a pair of red orbs stared back at him.

_Frostbite._

He blinked and the figure was gone.

_Holy shit._

_Am I dreaming?_ But h-he destroyed Frostbite so long ago, eradicating him from the plane of existence. It must have been a figment of his imagination.

Shrugging off the sudden memory recollection, he returned to his flight, invisibly ascending into the pitch black sky. Reorganizing himself, he identified his location on the map crumpled in his hand: B. Mary Elementary School. From here he needed to head straight and then a left, so that's what he did.

Upon reaching the apartments, he scanned the area for any sign of human life. He didn't see anyone or anything other than the construction equipment concealed under the carpet of frost. On the same street were some fast food restaurants and a grocery store, but behind the apartments was another forest. Behind the forest seemed to be a lake which he thought could be useful in the long run. The 3 apartment complexes looked decent from the outside, each with 12 stories. The entire area was surrounded by a tall, chain-link fence.

He entered the building intangibly, checking out the area. So it wasn't completely terrible. Yes the floor was made of concrete and the wood in the walls were only insulated, but it was enough for him to stay in for the time being. Although, he needed a mattress. He couldn't sleep on the back-breaking floor. He decided to make a home on the 3rd floor, in case if anyone came to check on the building. They would most likely only inspect the first two floors.

Searching the map, he looked for something close to a furniture store. To his luck, there was a mattress factory not too far from here. Leaving his backpack behind, he lept into the air and flew off towards the factory.

After a few minutes, he arrived at a boat dock. Next to the dock was a huge storage building: the mattress outlet. He kept his invisibility and snuck around, looking for any cameras. He did notice a few, not knowing if they were still functioning, so he decided to proceed invisibly. Inside, the building looked bleak and abandoned. The floor was coated with dust and the few windows on the walls were cracked with holes. He heard some shuffling echoing through the large area, but he figured it was rodents scurrying around for some food or something. Finally he found a twin sized mattress that was suitable enough for him. He made it intangible and invisible, and then lifted the large cushion above his head. He grunted as the stance applied pressure to his injured shoulder. He shifted the mattress to his other hand, alleviating some of the pain.

Before he could return back to the apartment and get a good night's rest, he was hit with some object forcefully. Tumbling to the floor and dropping the mattress simultaneously, he looked behind him to see nothing there. He checked himself. _Still invisible._ His eyebrows furrowed, puzzled. Glancing beside him, he noticed he was hit by some boxes.

_What the fuck?_

He considered calling out a 'hello?', but then that would be a dead giveaway to his location to the cameras. Standing up again, he wiped off the invisible dust he felt caked to his knees, and stood up.

"Beware!" A loud, deep voice rang in his right ear. Daniel yelped and stumbled onto the mattress he was previously carrying. His invisibility flickered and he became visible again. An obnoxious laughter exploded just to his right side.

"Wh-who are you?" he whispered at the inconspicuous voice. He kept turning his head in every direction, trying to locate the origin of the noise. Was he seeing stuff again? He didn't need this here. Not in front of the cameras. Suddenly a floating blue figure popped into visibility. The short, stubby man clutched his stomach as he chuckled loudly. He wore a blue beanie, blue collared shirt, blue overalls, white gloves, and black shoes. He looked like a mechanic, but definitely a ghost.

_So there's ghosts in Amity Park too. But how? Ghosts must live near portals to maintain stability and the nearest portal that I know about is Vlad's castle, the only stable portal to earth._

"I got ya, didn't I!" He shouted as he wiped an invisible tear from his eye.

"You didn't answer my question." Daniel deadpanned as he sat up. This blue-skinned ghost had scared him so badly. For a moment he was convinced that his father had found him. He glared at the ghost for wasting his time.

"I'm the Box Ghost. Fear me." he said wiggling his fingers in front of his face. Daniel now understood why this ghost was alone.

"How did you notice me? And what about the cameras?" he said pointing to the cameras in the corner. If they were working, he would be easily seen. At least he was in ghost mode so he wasn't recognizable.

"A mattress doesn't move by itself, silly. And those old things don't work." The Box Ghost said with the flick of his wrist. His accent was very thick, although Daniel couldn't pinpoint the origin. He exhaled at the fact that the cameras didn't function as they were intended to. He should've checked that earlier instead wasting his powers. "By the way, why are you stealing a mattress?" the ghost asked.

"Why are you haunting a mattress factory?" Daniel retorted with much sass. He just wanted to go to his new home. "Plus it isn't stealing if the place is haunted." he said eying the ghost. The Box Ghost snorted.

"No one wants there mattresses because the springs malfunction after 3 days of sleeping. By the way, why do you need a mattress when you could just hover and sleep? Come to think of it, ghosts don't need sleep so you don't need a mattress." The Box Ghost continued to throw questions towards Daniel, but he kept silent and began lifting the mattress. He should have brought his thermos and sucked this nuisance inside.

Few important ghosts actually knew about the existence of halfas, but it was kept a secret for a reason. If other ghosts learned about his presence, he would be in grave danger. Dancing on the line between life and death wasn't something to congratulate, but seen as a threat to both realms. A ghost could gain total power in the human world, but the same could happen to a human in the ghost zone. _No thank you_ , but he didn't need his core destroyed

"See ya, Box Ghost!" Daniel said leaping into the air and waving at the ghost. He sped off into the night, invisibly flying through the jet-black sky. He heard the ghost shout something behind him, but Daniel was too far to comprehend the words. His muscles began to tingle with a weird sensation, begging him to let go of the mattress for a moment. He tuned out their protests and advanced near the apartment. He finally laid the cushion down onto the cold floor. He removed his clothes and set them on the floor, although he kept his boxers on. He didn't want to wrinkle the only clothes he had, so he kept them neatly beside the mattress. He fell back onto the cushion, sighing at the long day he had. Before he could doze off, he took out his gold-plated watch from his backpack and set an alarm for 7 am. The school had asked him to see him at 8 for his interview.

His stomach grumbled as his eyes fluttered until they closed. He hadn't eaten much today, but there was nothing he could do now. He needed to save as much money as possible. By going to school, he could save so much money on food, since the tuition fee was free.

Finally, his mind drifted off until it was encompassed by the darkness…

* * *

_Surrounded by white. Its pure color strained his eyes. Tears streamed down his face, piercing the pure ivory ground. His eyes were tinted with red from his sobbing, one of them puffing and blackened. His throat was hoarse from his perpetual begging. He was stuck, unable to move with his arms tied to the railing behind him. His lungs burned to breathe properly, his shallow breaths not helping his situation. His core pulsated inside his whining chest. A mixture of ectoplasm and blood trickled down his bare chest and onto his black formal pants._

_He was on his knees. The whip hit his chest once more, inducing him to wheeze. He couldn't make a noise with the tape on his face, otherwise he would have screamed. The scars on his chest weren't enough for the shadow in front of him._

_The figure stood tall, smirking with a hint of fangs. He continued to beat the poor boy, enjoying the entertainment that came along with it. He dropped the whiplash, releasing a maniacal laugh. It echoed through the desolate room, ringing in the heads of both men. He ripped the silver duct tape from his son's face, staring into his crystal blue eyes. They were so innocent; so inexperienced._

_Daniel gasped loudly. Breathing finally returning to normal, he croaked out. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it." He was staring at the floor, unable to look his father in the eye. He bit his lip to numb the excruciating pain, however it didn't seem to work. His body ached everywhere, he couldn't pinpoint a single place that wasn't suffering._

_The devil wrapped his hand around his throat, jabbing a finger right into the center of his core. Daniel choked, and began coughing hysterically._

' _Your misery is what keeps me moving. Torturing you is the only fun I have.' The devil's warm breath diffused over his face, tickling his facial features. The boy grunted in response as he came out of his coughing fit._

' _I never wanted any of this.' Daniel discordantly gritted through his clenched teeth. He tried to free his arms from the rope with a strong tug, but ghost proof restraints were his weakness. His father began another fit of chuckles as he crouched down to his son's level. His tone took on one of a caring father, but anyone could tell it was fake._

' _And why would you? I brought you into this world to anguish, not dilly-dally with other children. Your here to serve me. Not disobey me.' Out of the corner of Daniels eye, he noticed his father reach behind him for the blood-stained whip._

" _No. Please no. I'm sorry." Daniel shrieked as his father raised his arm. The tears were freely flowing down his cheeks, mixing with the red and green substances stained to the floor. The whip landed on his chest once more, and the black spots that previously danced around his vision sucked him back into the darkness._

Daniel sat up, beads of sweat sitting near his hairline. His breathing pace slowed to his normal pace, which was considered abnormal for the average human. The hair on his arms stood on end. He hated the nightmares. They weren't fictional events, but memories of past events. They not only brought more distressing thoughts, but each time the recollection strengthened and the details became more livid. His mind hammered in his head, craving some pain killers to alleviate the torment. Sitting up, he checked the time on his watch.

_6:54 a.m.._

He woke up just in time to get ready for his interview. Brushing off his lucid dream, he stood up, yawning and stretching his limbs. He rotated his previously injured shoulder a few times and felt no pain at all. _Good as new._ He was always fortunate for his strengthened healing powers. They meant less resting time _and_ less pain.

His first instinct was to brush his teeth and take a shower, but then he realized he didn't have either. Scouring his backpack, he took out a granola bar. Munching on it, he looked out the window overlooking the woods. He could see his reflection through the window, and it wasn't pretty. His hair was tousled, uncombed for days. Scars criss-crossed his bare chest, reminders of all the unwanted memories. He sighed and tossed the wrapper aside. He would pick it up later.

He began dressing himself, neatly pressing the suit down once he was done. His clothes weren't extremely wrinkled, they were decently presentable. He wrapped the golden watch around his wrist. A million questions were running through his mind all the while.

_What if my father placed a missing child message in the news?_

_Will people recognize me?_

_Maybe I should get a haircut._

_And update my wardrobe. I look like a preppy fuckboy._

Grabbing the confirmation papers, he checked the details one more time. His eyes widened as he facepalmed at the bottom sentence.

 _Awe, fuck_.

He needed a parent or guardian to be there with him for the interview. On the application he had compromised some fictional identities for his parents. But what was he supposed to say when they asked to see his parents? He was going to need to improvise something.

Sighing, he removed the gadgets from his backpack and hid them under some scrap pieces of wood lying on the floor. _I can't bring these to school._ He folded the papers he printed from yesterday into his backpack, slipped it over his shoulder, and took off towards the school.

He had memorized the route to the school from his home. Soaring through the air, he spotted some birds flying below him. He smiled; he was flying alongside animals now. He felt the liberating sensation swell within him once again. In his exhilaration, he flew in a loop-de-loop, giggling all the while.

The morning sun was beginning to peek from the horizon as he zoomed past. When he finally neared the school, he dropped down behind a tree and became visible again. Quickly running his fingers through his hair, he made sure he didn't look like he just woke up, although in reality he did. Once he looked around and no one seemed to notice his sudden reappearance, he followed the other students and entered the school. Some students glared at him as he strolled down the sidewalk, not recognizing him. But he also wore a formal navy suit, so that had to attract some attention.

The school was a large brown and white building with a giant sign in the front displaying the words 'Casper High'. An American flag flapped around at the top. There were three stories with a multitude of windows, each surrounded by a white border. He walked up the front stairs and into welcoming white doors. Inside, the walls were painted a sickly green, faded and outdated. Even the lockers matched the walls. At least the floor was plastered with gray ceramic tiles, contrasting the vigorous green surrounding it.

Students stood at their lockers, waiting for the bell to ring so they could go to their classes. Some were conversing with others while others passed down the halls. A lot of their eyes were still on him. He felt like curling into a ball, shrouding himself from anyone's view. Did he look off? Was something different about him? He continued walking forward, hitching his slipping backpack back onto his shoulder.

On the ceiling and walls, signs directed him to the main office. Checking his watch, he realized he was really early, but there wasn't anything he could do. The bell suddenly rang, prompting him to flinch and back into the wall. The other students were too busy scurrying off to their classes to notice him now. The clock across from him read 7:45. He decided to look into the possible courses he could sign up for, since that was the main reason for today's interview. He had printed the course packet back at the library. Taking the packet out of his backpack and flipping through the black and white pages, he came upon the classes for 11th graders.

_Biology, pre-calculus, Literature, history, and electives? What are electives?_

He flipped to the glossary and figured out electives were filler classes he could choose. But what did he want to take? Going back to the class list, he searched for any courses that interested him.

_Astrology? Maybe gym? How about art?_

As he contemplated possible classes, the door swung open to reveal a lady with short black hair. She wore a purple business blazer and pencil skirt, white blouse, and a red tie. She smiled at him and he returned the expression.

"Hi! I'm Principal Ishiyama. You must be Daniel Masters, correct?" she said, extending her hand to shake. He shook her hand, but as she began to shake his hand, she recoiled a bit. _My hands must be cold._ It was one of the disadvantages to an ice core.

"Yes, I'm Daniel. It's nice to meet you." he said as he returned his hand to his pocket.

"Nice to meet you to. Come on in." Mrs. Ishiyama said sweetly as she held the door for him. Sending a thank you her way, he entered the room. At the center of the room sat a desk with an office chair behind it. A large desktop rested on the table. Across from the desk were two chairs, most likely for students. She gestured for him to sit in the seat and he followed, setting his backpack on the floor.

She sat in the office chair and entangled her fingers together, placing them on the desk. "Are your parents or guardians coming today?"

"Uh, no. My parents are on a business trip and won't be back for a while. We just moved in yesterday. I thought my father emailed you, I'm sorry. He's a busy man." Daniel rubbed his neck nervously. His lying didn't seem to cause any suspicion. Acting skills came in handy when one was on the run.

"Oh ok. That's fine. Do you have anyone taking care of you for the time being?"

"Yea I have a nanny. She couldn't make it today because of her day job."

"Ok, I understand." She turned to her computer and began pulling up his application form. On her desk were several sheets of paper stacked in different piles. A small vase with beautiful, purple orchids sat next to the mass of sheets. A cup filled with varieties of pens and pencils was next to her desktop. "So, you were homeschooled?" she asks turning back to him.

"Yea. My tutor would teach me, but after moving my parent's couldn't find a tutor that could teach the 11th grade syllabus. So I'm here." he said, smiling at the last part. His acting was really leading her on.

"Alright. Where are you from? I know it says USA on the form, but I'm curious." she asked, scrolling through the document.

"I'm from New York." he said randomly.

"That's nice. How was it there?"

"It was cool. Busy though." he said chuckling to add a little more of credibility. She also laughed lightly.

"Well. Let's sign you up for your classes. Since we don't know what level of learning you might be at, and it would be too late to give you a placement test, we'll just sign you up for the basic courses. If you feel that the classes are too easy, we can change them. Alright?"

"Sounds good to me." he grinned. He was actually going to go to school. He was going to be normal.

"So the basics include…" she paused as she pulled up some course list, "... literature, biology, history, and pre-calculus which are all courses that overlap over the 2 semesters. Then physical education, any art class of your choice, government, and health are all one semester classes. How does that sound to you?"

"Good. What art classes are there?" Obviously when he was younger, he had learned the basics in all subjects with a tutor. But that was before his father had given him daily assignments; before he was seven. Over the years, in his freetime he would try to study some books from the library, just to feel normal, but he was always interrupted with one of his father's jobs. Or he was too injured to do anything.

"Drawing, painting, or ceramics." she listed.

"I'll take drawing please." he added the extra manners for innocence.

"Yay! I'm going to print out your schedule for the fall semester and you'll be all set to go. Stay right here for a minute, okay?" She said standing up. Daniel nodded in reply as the clicking of her heels became more distant. He sighed and stretched in the chair. He wouldn't be staying in Amity Park long. Probably only for the fall semester, although when he checked online earlier, the semester ends in two weeks. Would he leave when the other students were on winter break? Where would he go? He knew he should leave the country, but where? Was he going to live a life on the run now? Technically, once he turned 18 in April, his father wouldn't have custody over him so he could be free. He needed to last till April.

Mrs. Ishiyama interrupted his thoughts as she entered the room, papers in hand. "Since your joining quite late into the semester, you won't need to take any tests or finals. As long as you complete class assignments, you will be fine." She slid the course schedule toward him, pointing to some numbers. She guided him through the sheet, directing him to his locker number and combination, classrooms, and class timings. Once she was finished she looked into his baby blue eyes. "Do you have any questions?"

"Nope! Thanks so much." he exclaimed as he stood up, the principal following suit. They shook hands as she greeted him goodbye.

"Oh, by the way, classes start everyday at 7:45. You can get breakfast in the cafeteria, as long as you have some lunch money in your account. Have a great day Daniel!" She waved as he walked into the hall.

 _Shit._ He had to pay for food. Oh well, he hoped it wouldn't be too much of a cost.

* * *

He had left the school an hour ago, but now he soared through the sky invisibly. He needed some new clothes so he was seeking a clothing store. At least two shirts and a pair of pants. He could mix and match over the two weeks. Earlier, he had gone to a grocery store and bought some food which was currently stocked in his backpack. Nobody had questioned the teenager buying food in the middle of the morning, so hopefully it would be the same at the clothing store. Spotting a shopping mall he descended, entering both intangibly and invisibly into the building. Hiding behind a rack of clothing, he returned to visibility. He was already in human form, so he didn't need to transform.

He wandered through the store, searching for some clothes he could buy. He came upon a pair of light-wash denim jeans, packet of boxers, a white t-shirt with a red oval, a maroon hoodie, and red sneakers. Purchasing them quickly without any questions, he exited the store, and entered another one. He bought some hygienic products like soap, toothpaste, a toothbrush, etc. He returned home by 3 p.m..

He was already so tired, but also excited for tomorrow's day. He knew he had a couple of things to do before the day fully ended. Setting down the bags of stuff he bought, he took the bar of soap and clothes and headed towards the woods behind the apartments. Searching for a small pond he could cleanse himself in, he repeated the same technique as yesterday, creating a hot tub for his enjoyment. Scrubbing his body using the soap, the teenager finally felt clean for once in his life. Although there was a lake behind the woods, he decided bathing out in the open wasn't the best option. He marked the spot with a totem pole made of sticks so he knew where to come back to.

When he finished, he put on the new clothes he had bought and returned to the apartment. Eating a quick snack and setting an alarm for tomorrow, he quickly found himself dozing off, the only noise in the room was his soft snoring.

That night, he didn't have any nightmares.


	6. Chapter 5

The morning was cold. The sun was barely out with its small crescent over the horizon. Within the woods it was freezing. Even Daniel felt frigid under his t-shirt and jeans. The sky has decided to let loose another blanket of snow, the snowflakes drifting onto his jet-black hair.

He was alone within the confines of the trees and probably brushing his teeth in one of the most oddest places. Even after washing his mouth with the water he boiled, the minty aftertaste stained his mouth. Last night, he had one of the greatest slumbers of his life. Sleeping around 13 hours, he felt refreshed and prepared for the new day. Quickly washing his hands and face, he returned back to the apartment.

He craved for some froot loops for breakfast, longing their savory, fruitful flavors along with the wash of milk. However, he didn't have a refrigerator to keep the milk from spoiling. The best he could do was eat a cereal bar. He was fine with the light breakfast anyway.

While chewing on the cereal bar, he gathered the papers and supplies he had bought yesterday: a notebook, folder, and pencils. It didn't cost him too much, so he was fine using $5. He reached into his backpack and took the wad of cash out. He quickly counted how much he had left.

_10, 20... 50… 100… 1200…_

_$4,326_

_Not too bad…_ so maybe he could survive until April. He just needed to conserve as much money as possible. He took out $30 and stuffed it into his jeans pocket. He hid the rest of the money in a pocket of his backpack. Zipping up his backpack with all the supplies within, he slung it onto his shoulder and wrapped his gold watch on his wrist. Checking around the room for anything else he needed to take, he noticed his weapons peeking out from under the pile of wood. Quickly shuffling the wood around so no one would notice, he stood up, dusting his palms in accomplishment. With one final check, he transformed and ascended into the morning atmosphere.

The morning sky was filled with vibrant colors of orange and pink, mixing to create one of the loveliest things he'd ever seen. From the mansion view, the sunrise was boring and usually hidden behind the trees. But here, he felt mesmerized to be encompassed by the dynamic hues of the heavens.

Finally he descended into an alley once he neared the school. He didn't want to get to close, in fear of students seeing him transform. There were too many of them in the open courtyard that he couldn't watch out for all of their eyes. Even if he transformed invisibly, an unknown teenager popping out of nowhere would seem suspicious.

Screening the area for people, he exited the alley. He didn't look out of place today, although he didn't have a jacket.

_Shit. People are going to think I'm dumb for walking out in winter in a t-shirt._

He never thought about his actions ahead of time. It was one of his biggest weaknesses. He didn't know much about Minnesota anyway, he was for sure to be seen as an outcast. Although the temperature must have been around 3 degrees, he hardly felt it. Grimacing, he continued down the sidewalk, passing by small street stores. Those inside the cars driving by stared at him and his stupidity. He sighed, his breath fogging the air in front of him.

His objective was to keep quiet and lay on the low. He didn't need people keeping tabs on him, especially when he was bound to disappear in two weeks. He just needed to be seen as the quiet, background kid. No friends, no talking unless he had to.

Finally he entered the school and into the hideous green surroundings. Students still glared at him as he walked down the halls. It was as if he was under microscopic inspection, their eyes scrutinizing the new student. Some students were conversing with friends while some were looking at their phones. He never understood the importance of having your own device at all times, it just seemed like a waste of money and time. He didn't need immediate internet access at all times, he could just fly to the library in a matter of minutes. Taking a right down the hall, he looked down at the class schedule in his hands.

_Locker 724. Alright._

Upon reaching his locker, he frowned at its appearance. It was the worst locker in the entire hall. Its rusted presence with questionable stains made his stomach feel like releasing its contents. There wasn't anything he could do about it now; the principal had said that the school was quite packed with little space for newcomers. Glancing around, he noticed students placing their notebooks and textbooks into their lockers. _So that's what they're used for._ He didn't want to touch the unappealing storage container, so he decided to find his first class. He also didn't have any supplies to put into the locker. He would be gone in two weeks anyway, he could survive without a locker.

Before he could turn and find his classroom, he was shoved against the filthy locker. Disgusted, his stomach churned nauseously, but his attention was focused on the figure in front of him.

"Hey look it's a newbie." A blonde boy taunted. He wore a red and white letter jacket, black t-shirt, and skinny jeans. Other guys stood behind him with matching jackets, laughing at Daniel like a pack of wolves congratulating their alpha.

Daniel tried not to get agitated, but he couldn't help himself. Heat rose to his cheeks, giving them a slight pink tint. He glared at the other teens, eyes meeting at the same level. They looked about his age, maybe even in the same grade. They were also his height, although few of them were a bit taller than him. He could tell they had built up bodies just from eyeing their broad figures.

"What's your name twerp?" The blondie ridiculed. His voice had a sort of nasally tone to it, annoying Daniel further. A smirk played itself across is face as he began dusting his shoulder from the dust that accumulated after contacting the treacherous locker.

"What's your name, asshole?" Daniel retorted with as much sass as the boy. The others behind him 'ooh'-ed at the sudden infringement of the social hierarchy by the new student. Daniel had a feeling that he had overstepped his boundaries and already made enemies. So much for being the low-life, new student. The first thing he did at his new school was create drama. _Fuck._

The blonde boy was infuriated and with his mouth twisted into a wicked grimace. Suddenly his hand outstretched and grabbed Daniel by the neck, pinning him up against the vile locker. "What did you just call me?" the boy growled. His eyebrows were furrowed and his violet eyes dead set on the prey in front of him. A crowd began to form behind him. Daniel faintly heard him shout something else as his mind suddenly went blank.

_The icy wall was blanketed with a sheet of ectoplasm, splattered everywhere, dripping down onto the white carpeted floor. The gash on his shoulder pulsated with pain. His mind felt like it was swimming in a pool of molasses, thoughts disorganized and floating around slowly. The voices in his head were increasing in amplitude by the minute. The giant monster panted loudly as drips of ectoplasm trickling down his ice horns. Both ghosts were worn out, tired of fighting each other._

_Daniel couldn't move his upper body with the giant paw against his neck. But there was one thing he could do._

_Swiftly he kicked forward, contacting the ghost at his core. The unsuspecting specter tumbled backwards into the snow. Daniel swiftly unlatched the thermos from his belt and aimed it at the large abominable figure whose eyes had widened with realization._

' _I let you into my kingdom, teach you everything I know, and this is how you repay me?' the husky voice bellowed. The ghost looked so helpless as he was held against his liking. His destroyed robe fluttered behind him in the breeze. The voices were clouding Daniel's mind, incoherently muttering nonsense._

_Daniel didn't want to reply, but he also didn't want to uncap the thermos. Frostbite was like a father to him. He taught him how to control his ice powers when he was younger. In his weakest moment, the far frozen king blasted three icicles at the unfocused ghost. Daniel dodged each icicle with ease, heir tips plunging into the white igloo behind him. Reluctantly he uncapped the thermos and aimed the bright blue beam at his father figure. The beam sucked him in, and all was quiet. The voices stopped._

_Frostbite was gone._

Daniel didn't know what to do as his eyes fixated on the furious boy ahead of him. He felt his heart accelerating quickly; lungs bawling to be set free. With one nimble move, he grabbed the jerk by the arm, twisted him around to face the others, and held his arm behind his back. The blonde boy cried out in anguish as everyone around the two took a step back.

After realizing what he had done, he released the boy and backed up into the locker. His hands were in front of him as if he had been caught by the police. The buff teen fell to the ground, groaning from his strained arm.

"I'm sorry." Daniel muttered under his breath as his eyes shifted to look at everyone. They all gawked at him like he was a freak, nonhuman, a _monster_. His vision was hazy, but he sped off. He didn't know where to go, he just knew he needed to get away. He heard someone shout after him, but he continued ahead, ignoring the call behind him. Everyone was now whispering about him, ogling at the new boy who already mustered up a scene. Their voices entrenched his mind, chaotically screwing up his already disordered thoughts. Noticing a sign for the bathrooms, he slammed the door open and ran into a stall. He locked the stall door behind him and turned to face the toilet.

Unexpectedly he threw up into the porcelain bowl, wrenching his guts until they were free of everything. He sat back onto the dirty floor, weakly leaning against the stall door. His body was trembling. He had another one. He thought he could have escaped them once he'd been free of his father, but there was always the threatening thought looming in the back of his mind that his father was watching. It nerved him down to the bone.

The aftertaste of bile stung his throat as he stood up. Wearily walking out of the stall and to the sink, he looked at himself in the mirror. He did look different from the last time he'd seen his reflection back at the mansion. The bags under his eyes had disappeared and his clothing was of a different style. His skin didn't look as gloomy as it used to, and his crystal blue eyes shone under the ceiling lights. He washed his hands and splashed water onto his face quickly, dried himself, and exited the bathroom.

Using the paper with his class schedule, he wound his way through the student traffic and to his first class, literature. He had to go up a flight of stairs just to get to the English department. This time, all eyes were on him, but he didn't return the contact. Hunching, he scurried up the stairs.

Once he'd found the classroom after a bit of roaming, he looked in only to find a bald teacher sitting at his desk. Quickly checking his watch, he realized it was only 7:35, so he was early. _Go figure._ Entering the classroom, he waved to the teacher who hadn't noticed him yet.

"Um, hello?" Daniel said hoping to gain the attention of the teacher who was occupied searching something on his computer. The bald man turned around to look at the unfamiliar voice. "I'm Daniel Masters, the new student." he said extending his hand to shake.

"Ah yes, nice to meet you Mr. Masters. You can call me Mr. Lancer. Welcome to Casper high. Have you been finding your way around easily?" he said caringly while shaking Daniel's hand. He seemed like a pretty nice teacher.

"Yep." he replied, popping the 'p'. _Just splendid._

"That's good to hear. You're very early. Unfortunately I've got some work to do so you may take a seat in the back for the time being." Daniel nodded and Mr. Lancer returned to his computer. Daniel worked his way through the row of desks and sat in the back. Setting his backpack down and his head against the desk, he sighed. Today was already off to a bad start. He was even getting hungry from hurling what little breakfast he ate.

The classroom was painted in a light blue color. Posters with books and other motivational writings lined the walls. In the front was a large whiteboard and some giant screen. The desks were a boring, bland porcelain color, matching the atmosphere of the room. Other students began trickling into the classroom in groups of two or more. It seemed as if everyone had a companion except him.

Ten minutes later, the bell rang and Daniel lifted his head from the desk to look at the teacher. Mr. Lancer stood up from his desk and walked around. Clearing his throat he began to speak. "Hello class. We have a new student, Daniel Masters. Daniel, please stand up."

Daniel stood up and smiled sheepishly. All eyes were once again him.

_Awe fuck._

The blonde, muscular boy from earlier was giving him the death glare from across the room. _Just my luck. He's in my class._ He was going to get beat up for sure once the blondie got the chance. Daniel sat down slowly and everyone turned back to the teacher. He sunk lower in his seat.

"As you all know, today's Tuesday, which means your receiving your projects today. In a moment I will be pairing you in groups of three and then giving you the topic. So once I say your name, please get together in your groups." Mr. Lancer paused, retrieving a sheet from his desk. " Mikey, Nathan, and Leo. Brad, Star, and Lacy. Then Dash, Kwan, and Paulina." Mr. Lancer listed as students stood up and shuffled around. The blonde kid must have been Dash since he stood up when Lancer called his name. _Dash, huh?_ "... Tucker, Samantha, and Daniel. And finally Katie, Rachael, and Trevor." Grabbing his backpack, he stood up and looked around the room. _Tucker and Samantha, ok. Now I have to find them…_

"Psst, hey." a feminine voice perked up. He swiveled around to find an African American boy and a goth, Caucasian girl sitting together. Daniel sat in an open desk next to them.

"That was a great show in the halls today." The african American boy said shifting his glasses up his nose. He wore a red beret, a yellow turtleneck, and camo joggers. Daniel's cheeks flushed a shade of red as he sunk a little in his seat at the mention of the mornings fiasco.

"Hell yea it was. It's time someone put 'the king of high school' back in his place." the goth quirked up. Her black hair flowed at her shoulders. Her bright purple lipstick and matching eyeshadow contrasted her pale skin. She wore a black tank top, black and green checkered skirt, purple leggings, and black combat boots.

"Don't remind me. Everyone keeps staring." Daniel said shaking his head.

"So what?! Dude you're already famous. You can achieve popularity in a snap." The boy presumed to be Tucker exclaimed.

"Fuck. I didn't want any of this." Daniel said rubbing his face in his hands. The teacher chose this moment to begin speaking again.

"For your assignment, your group must make a presentation on the book I assign. The presentation requirements are on google classroom. I will come around and assign the books and then you will need to go to the library straight after and get your book. Got it?" Mr. Lancer's voice bellowed through the room in monotone. The class nodded in reply and returned to conversing with each other.

"Well the name's Foley. Tucker Foley, but you can call me Tuck." The boy said as he relaxed back into his desk. He crossed his arms behind his head.

"And I'm Sam. You call me Samantha, and your shin will be bruised and broken." she threatened, glaring at him. Daniel widened his eyes at the immense intimidation from the petite girl.

"You probably already know this, but I'm Daniel. And I don't have a nickname." he shrugged. He never thought about a nickname for himself, it just didn't pop into his mind. He had more pressing matters to deal with his entire life. His father had called him 'little badger' when he was younger, although he always despised the name.

"Pfft. Everyone has a nickname. Plus, Daniel sounds too sophisticated." Tuck said as he looked at Daniel, scanning his features. "Uh… Danny. Danny's good. U look like a Danny too." he quirked as a group of students got up and exited the room, presumably off to the library.

"Danny?" Daniel was confused. _Did they just give me a… nickname?_

"Yep that's your new name. No ifs and,or buts." Sam chimed in, a smirk playing itself across her face. "So where you from, Danny?"

"New York."

"You don't have the accent though." Tuck retorted.

"You're from Minnesota and you don't have an accent." Danny interjected sarcastically. Another group of students left the classroom.

"Touche. What do you think about Casper high?" Tuck asked.

"It's good. I wish I hadn't screwed up my reputation the second I entered the door though." Danny said, running his hands through his hair. The subject was still in his mind. What if someone recognized him? He always considered the impossible because in reality, his existence was an impossibility.

"Relax Danny. You'll be on Dash's hit list, but with moves like yours, you'll be fine." Sam said.

"Those moves were reflexes. I wasn't thinking at the time. I can't fight for the life of me." Danny whined into his palms. Yes, he lied to them. He didn't want people thinking he had super strength or some shit. He needed to lay low from now on. At the time, he just… _panicked_.

"Well you've got good reflexes, but you're screwed if you can't repeat that display from earlier." Sam suggested. Danny groaned. Mr. Lancer chose that moment to join the trio and assign them their book.

"Looks like you all have gotten acquainted," Danny timidly chuckled, rubbing his neck. "You three will be reading _Frankenstein_ , got it? Mr. Masters I expect Mrs. Ishiyama led you through your school google account?" Danny nodded. "Very well then, you three can join the others in the library." The trio stood up and headed out to the library. Mr. Lancer locked the classroom and trailed not too far behind, but out of hearing reach.

"I've actually read this book before." Danny said out of the blue. The other two turned to look at him questioningly. When he was 13, he would go to the library almost everyday and read some of the most famous books. It was one of his favorite past times at the time. _Frankenstein_ was actually a very interesting book, considering that the scientist was the real Frankenstein as opposed to the monster.

"Dude, if Lancer finds out, he's going to make you switch to a different group." Tuck chipped as he jabbed his thumb over his shoulder at the ignorant teacher.

"Relax. He won't find out. This way, I'll have less homework." Danny replied crossing his arms. Tuck shrugged in response. The trio proceeded walking into the library where all the other students were waiting. The large area reminded him of the library he had visited on his first day in Amity Park. The set up was similar, except the computers sat at the edges of the room instead of the center. Some students had books in hand, while others were searching for their book through the multitude of stacks.

Sam guided them through the room partly using the signs posted on the shelves and partly using her memory. She seemed to know this place quite well, maybe she was an avid reader. Entering the racks of books with authors that have last names starting with the letter L, the trio began searching the shelves. Tucker called out to the other two once he had found the book. Handing each of them a copy, the three headed towards the front desk and checked out their books. Once Daniel had received his book, the bell rang, prompting students to leave at its ring. He now had 8 minutes to get to his next class.

"Hey Danny, what class do you have next?" asked Sam. He reached into his pocket and produced a wrinkled schedule. Squinting to read the small font, he brought the paper close to his face, but Sam impatiently snatched it out of his hand.

She scanned the sheet while Tuck looked over her shoulder, scanning the sheet as well. "Well we have art, gym, and bio together" she said handing the slip back to him.

"And we have pre-calc, gym, and bio together." Tuck said grabbing some gadget from his pocket. "And pre-calc is next so we gotta go." he quickly said, grabbing Danny's hand. He led his new acquaintance through the crowded halls, bypassing many students in the tight halls. Danny couldn't even utter a word through all the movement.

The boy with the red beret was shorter than him, but only by an inch or so. He pulled Danny into the classroom. It looked the same as the last one, except the posters on the walls illustrated formulas and inspirational quotes instead of quotes from books. Danny introduced himself the to teacher and then proceeded to take a seat next to Tuck. He recognized a few kids from the previous class, but he couldn't recall their names. As he took his seat, he noticed Tuck preoccupied with some silver gadget in his hands

"Hey, what's that?" Danny said eyeing the contraption in the other boy's hand. It had several buttons on it. He'd never seen anything like it before.

"This is Shelly." Tuck said in a matter-of-fact tone. He held up the device like a prized possession. Danny just stared at him blankly. He had no idea what a _Shelly_ was. "It's my PDA." _Oh._ He still didn't understand.

"What's a PDA?" Danny asked questioningly. Tuck gasped loudly and glared at him like he had committed the worst treason in the world. Daniel was perplexed at what he had done wrong.

"Only _the most_ beautifullest thing in the world! It's like a phone, but only better! Jeez man, you must be a _real_ gen z if you don't know what a PDA is…" Tucker rambled on. Danny could tell that Tuck had a thing for electronics. Just the way he talked about them and how even gave them names as if they were human. He seemed like a technology geek to Danny.

The bell rang, interrupting Tuck in his talk. The teacher began instructing the class about trigonometric functions. Danny had some difficulty understanding the concepts, joining late in the semester did that to one, but Tuck helped him through the calculations. Tuck turned out to be a genius in math, and Danny was surprised that he wasn't in some higher level class.

By the end of class, Danny had somewhat achieved mastery of the subject. The teacher assigned a page of homework right before the bell rang. The entire class groaned simultaneously, hoping they could have evaded the treacherous endeavors of doing homework. _At least they don't have to endure father's assignments._

Tuck once again led Danny through the hallways to gym class, a class the trio would be reunited in. He realized he had become quick friends with them. The openness between Sam and Tuck suggested that they were close friends, but there was a hint of mistrust between the two, almost as if their friendship was missing something. Danny could never see the two being friends if he hadn't personally met them before; their personalities just seemed incompatible together. Somehow, they still managed to keep contact.

Tuck brought him into the boys locker room, showing him around. The underground room was lined with dark green tiles with rows of navy blue lockers. The area was dimly lit, like the lights were too old to be repaired. Boys were changing out in the open into red and white uniforms. Danny felt like he should have averted his eyes and given them privacy, but Tuck didn't seem to be bothered by the sight. He was glad to have someone helping him through his first day. He would have been a complete mess without Tuck and Sam.

Danny received a gym uniform and a locker from the locker room supervisor. Luckily, both of their lockers were situated in the back corner right next to each other, and away from majority of the other boys. Tuck began to unlock his locker, and Danny followed suit. Tuck then removed his clothes one by one, however, Danny didn't want to change out in the open. The amount of scars that criss-crossed his body would be noticeable in a second. He searched his surroundings and then turned around to face away from Tuck. Removing his shirt, he quickly replaced it with the gym uniform. Next he removed his jeans and slipped on his gym shorts. No one seemed to notice the abnormal amount of scars on his body. He sighed in relief.

Tuck had put on his shorts and now he was pulling the gym shirt onto his head. The boy was very scrawny, although he wasn't as skinny as some of the nerds Danny had seen earlier. Danny looked marginally better in size compared to the African American boy, and Danny's body had a light built to it from all the work he'd done. At one point in his childhood, if one could call it that, he had been in a phase of attaining the ideal body. He would workout on a daily basis, and eat a diet based on protein. He continued for two years or so, until his assignments became daily and took up his exercise time.

Danny placed his clothes and backpack into the locker and shut it closed. Tuck finished after a minute, and the two exited out to gymnasium together. Few students were already there, including Sam. She wore the same uniform as them, instead of cropping her uniform like the other girls. Danny noticed Dash sitting on the bleachers and talking to some latina girl, he shuddered. He hoped he wouldn't have to face him again. The two boys accompanied Sam in the back of the bleachers.

"Nice of you two to join." Sam said sarcastically as the two sat down next to her.

"Hey there's two of us and one of you." Tucker defended pointing his finger.

"Not unless your dressing each other." Sam snorted. Danny chuckled. It seemed like these two joked quite often. Tuck crossed his arms in agitation. For some unusual reason, Danny felt a sensation of cold in his chest, radiating from his core. He brushed off the odd feeling, believing it to be his core overreacting from his panic episode earlier.

"If you don't mind me asking, how do you two know each other? You just seem like polar opposites." Danny questioned. Sam snickered at something, although he didn't know what.

"This jackass had the audacity to try and debate with me on food preferences. You see, I'm an ultra-recyclo-vegetarian and he's a meat lover. I was at the Produce Party and Tuck was at the Meat-Meet, and both for some odd reason were situated in the same building. We got into a fight and I tackled him to the ground. Beat his ass till he was screaming mercy." Sam smiled as she recalled the memory.

"Hey! You left out the part where I slapped that steak on your face!" Tuck clamored.

"Then you left out the part where I tickled out with a lettuce leaf." Sam snorted as she wiggled her fingers in a tickling motion.

"Sam!" Tuck grumbled as both Danny and Sam laughed. Tuck didn't seem like he was having much fun being ridiculed by the goth.

"But that still doesn't explain how you two got close." Danny said. Although their stories seemed humorous and interesting to hear, Danny wanted to know why the two who came to be friends. Unfortunately, the gym teacher decided to walk into the gymnasium at that moment.

She had short orange hair, although it was oddly mullet-styled. She wore a white polo and knee length red shorts. Her physique was very built as well, people could easily understand that she worked out quite often. _Mrs. Tetslaff, right?_ She blew her whistle to gain everyone's attention.

"Listen up kids! I'm going to take attendance, so say 'here' when I say your name." her harsh voice boomed through open space. She began listing kids as Danny sat with his chin in his palm, bored out of his mind. When she called his name, he said 'here' just like she had asked. A cold sensation rumbled within his chest, something he'd never felt before. It was felt as if a storm was brewing inside of him. Suddenly a gasp of blue smoke released itself from his mouth. He immediately placed both palms over his lips. Nobody seemed to notice his disfunction.

_What the fuck is happening?!_

Another breath of blue air escaped his mouth through his fingers. He was panicking. He had no clue what was happening. Someone was bound to notice at some point. Another puff of smoke set free from his lips. His hand shot into the air, catching the attention of the teacher. Mrs. Tetslaff sighed, accepting the students question.

"May I go to the restroom?" Danny urgently asked. He needed to get away before anyone noticed.

"You should've gone before class. But go quick, I don't want to hear this next time." Mrs. Tetslaff bellowed. Danny nodded and dashed down the bleachers and back into the locker room. The blue breath had started come in quick succession, almost every second. He stared at a mirror, hands gripping the porcelain sink for stability. His knuckles were turning white with his taut grip. He was shivering. _Shivering._ He never got cold. Other than the time he had discovered his ice core. He could barely stand with the sudden freezing sensation. He felt like jumping into a pit of lava to feel warmth.

With his supernatural hearing, he heard a soft noise behind him. Looking through the mirror, he noticed a large figure standing right behind him. Before he knew it, he was tackled to the floor.

_Goddamnit._

The mirror shattered, echoing through the open room.


	7. Chapter 6

Alarms blared loudly, although Danny couldn’t tell if they were real or just a figure of his imagination. His vision clashed with red streams as the lights flickered on and off. Even with his supernatural vision, he couldn’t make out anything in the darkness. Transforming quickly into his ghost half, he attempted to crawl across the floor, however, something constricted his movements. 

 

The shards of glass dispersed on the ground pricked his skin when he rolled over onto his back, sending tiny, sharp pains to his spine. When the lights flickered on, he could make out an object enclosed around him, restricting his further actions. The usual cold sensation curled within his chest wasn’t there, leaving him incapable of defending himself. 

 

With the recurrent flickering, Danny finally noticed the large robotic figure in front of him. The ghost’s flaming green hair roared behind his head and illuminated his face. His suit was complete with sturdy silver armor and several ghost weapons. His hollow eyes stared back at Danny while a grin curled across his face. 

 

“Hello Welp. It’s great to see you again.” The ghost grumbled as he held Danny in a net. His entire body was scrunched inside of the woven web of string.  

 

“Skulker.” Danny muttered back. He didn’t need this now. He was in the middle of figuring out what the fuck that blue mist was, and in had to come the bumbling ‘Ghost Zone’s Greatest Hunter’. 

 

“Didn’t think I’d find you in the human realm. But what was with that bright flash?” Skulker bellowed as he brought the net to his eye level.  _ Right,  _ Skulker didn’t know about his human half and he almost gave himself away. 

 

“Uh… just testing out a new power.” Danny muttered while trying to wrench free. The net was dampening his spectral abilities and prohibiting him from escaping. “How did you find me anyways?” 

 

“This is  _ my _ haunt, Welp. You registered on my radar.”  _ Biggest haunt?  _ Did Skulker come here often?  _ But how? _ He couldn’t survive unless he figured out a way to maintain a stable portal to the ghost dimension. This dumbass could’ve never figured that out. However, Danny recalled the Box Ghost back at the mattress factory. That meant there was a portal nearby.  _ But where?  _ “But enough of the small talk. Tell me where Ember is.” Skulker barked. 

 

_ Shit. _

 

“Y-you don’t understand. I- ” Danny was cut off as a wave of shock was sent through his body. The sensation traveled from the wisps of the net to the tips of his fingers, leaving his body scorching.  _ It burned.  _ The alarms continued to blare behind him. Danny gasped once the electrocution ended, leaving his heart hammering in his chest. 

 

“According to my cameras, you were the last person to see her. Where. Is. She?” The look of longing on Skulker’s face clenched Danny’s heart in a way he couldn’t describe. The poor ghost missed his partner, but Danny couldn’t tell him what happened. He wouldn’t believe him anyway. Skulker probably thought Danny did something horrible, which he in fact did, instead of his father forcing him to. 

 

“Just, let me explain. I-” Danny floundered to speak, not sure what to say. 

 

“Plasmius told me it all.” Skulker interjected. Danny paled, his father told Skulker? Skulker didn’t know Danny was Vlad’s son, so he was safe for the while. “You sick bastard. I knew letting you get close to her was a dumb move, but she begged me to let your friendship continue. You took pleasure in eradicating the only one who  _ truly loved me _ …” he stopped momentarily, staring off into the distance. Suddenly, his face became engrossed in rage, the corner of his lip rising to grimace “Now, you will pay.” Skulker’s voice had taken on a different tone: one filled with revenge. The ghost dropped the boy as he searched his armored arm for the perfect weapon. 

 

Danny needed a way out fast. His absent powers only left him with his fists being his only defense. There was no way out. Unless… 

 

He hadn’t mastered the power yet, but it was the only ability suitable for this occasion. 

 

Inhaling and forcing his core to intertwine, Danny let loose a ghostly wail. The green echoes shattered the net, sending him to the ground and Skulker into a wall of lockers. The lockers were left with a large dent in the shape of the robotic ghost. He heard more mirrors fracture into several filaments, littering the sinks and ground. Danny finally transformed back and collapsed onto the ground, pieces of glass penetrating his pale skin. 

 

His eyes fluttered to close, but he fought the urge of unconsciousness. The wail had drained what little strength he had after the net dampened his powers. Lifting himself up onto his knees, he noticed Skulker had disappeared, except the place was trashed. The lockers were dented and the stalls doors were ripped from their hinges. One of the three white, porcelain sinks was smashed beyond repair. A stream of water leaked from the bowl of one toilet, running onto the tiled floor.  _ Great. How am I going to explain this to the school?  _

 

Danny groaned as he laid on the floor. His head felt like someone had smashed it against the pavement, preventing him from using his common sense and getting the hell out of there. The blaring alarms didn’t help his migraine either. He could barely move, let alone open his eyes. 

 

“Dude! Are you ok? Was it a ghost?!” A familiar voice echoed. Cracking an eye open, Danny saw Tuck stood by the entrance with his mouth dropped in shock. He ran towards the injured boy while being careful to not step on any large shards of glass. Tuck helped Danny sit up by grabbing him by the armpits. The scrawny boy was surprisingly strong, although Danny was also quite light due to his ghost-half. Tuck stared at Danny, eyes roaming his maimed skin. Small tears of blood wept from his exposed legs. His skin was covered in a light layer of ash from the electrocution.

 

“A what?!” Danny shouted over the deafening alarms. How did it Tuck know about ghosts? Had his father exposed him to the world? Did he know Danny was half-ghost? His head swam in questions, attempting to stay afloat amidst the vast sea of confusion. His vision was blurry with black spots and he felt like collapsing into a nice slumber. 

 

“A ghost. Those are the ghost alarms.” Tuck said pointing to the red warning signal in the corner. Danny’s eyes could barely follow the direction of Tuck’s finger. “Ghost attacks are common here. Unfortunately, you experienced one first hand. Let’s get you to the nurse.” he paused while sizing the halfa up once again. “Man, you look terrible.” Tuck finally responded as he grabbed Danny’s arm and placed it over his shoulder. Danny let out a moan when he stood up. His steps felt sluggish and he felt his vision tilt sideways. 

 

“No!” Danny slurred a little too quickly. He couldn’t go to the nurse. His body was different than humans in several ways. His body normalities were considered abnormal. Going to the nurse meant getting exposed, and he didn’t need that. “I-I just need to get cleaned up, its fine. I’m f-fine.” he said reassuringly more for himself than for Tuck. 

 

“Dude, no way. You have to go to the nurse. Unless… your scared of the nurse?” Tuck turned to look at Danny questioningly, although he had a smile on his face. Danny could barely comprehend his words, let alone his expression. “Don’t worry. I am too. Truth be told, I was going to have Sam carry you to the nurse. But if you’re afraid…” 

 

“Yes. Yes I hate the nurse.” Danny took the first cover story he could get. It wasn’t a complete lie, he truly was afraid of going to the nurse in fear of someone discovering he wasn’t fully human. Tuck nodded in reply and swept the floor of glass with his leg. He set Danny down and went to grab paper towels. While Tuck wasn’t looking, Danny intangibly phased the pieces of glass out of his body and swept them aside. The alarms finally shut off, and the room returned to silence. 

 

Danny stood up shakily, using the wall beside him for support. His muscles felt weak from the electrocution, but he knew that he would heal in a few minutes. In fact, he already felt better, especially with the silence. The small cuts on his legs had already sealed shut, unnoticeable other than the streaks of dried blood on his legs. 

 

“Dude sit down. You look like you just died.” Tuck shouted as he headed over with a stack of wet paper towels. Danny paled slightly at the mention of his death.  _ Tuck didn’t know, did he? He wouldn’t help me if I wasn’t entirely human, right? _

 

“I’m fine.” Danny deadpanned, leaning against the wall. 

 

“You’ve said that twice. I don’t know man, you should go to the nurse.” Tuck doubted his new acquaintance’s claims, considering just moments ago he looked ready to pass out. Danny shook his head, insisting he stay. “You’re lucky I got here when I did.” Tuck said eyeing Danny as he wiped his legs of the blood. 

 

“Did you see the ghost?” Danny asked. What if Tuck saw Skulker talking to him? Or what if he saw him using his powers? He was surely doomed if Tuck had seen anything from the encounter. 

 

“Nope. But from the look of this room, it looks like it was a big one. What did it look like?” Tuck asked. Danny didn’t know if he should reply. Would Tuck recognize the ghost if he described it?

 

“Uh… grey. Like a robot. Green hair. Armored suit with large weapons. I really didn’t have time to get a good look at it since I was dodging his shots.” Danny said as he tried to keep the details to a minimum. Hopefully, Tuck wouldn’t recognize Skulker. 

 

“You mean Skulker?” Tuck asked. Danny tried not to let his jaw drop.  _ How did he know? Is Tuck a ghost expert? _ “He comes here often. Although the Fenton’s always handle him. They’re too late today, but he left just as he came based off of the ghost sensors. What did Skulker do by the way?”  _ Who were the Fentons? And the school had ghost sensors?  _

 

“N-nothing really. Just tried to hit me with an ec- some gun. He hit the glass and it shattered. I tripped and this happened.” Danny said gesturing towards his legs. Tuck nodded, although he his expression displayed something of skepticism. His stumble had caused suspicion in the African American boy. Even Danny’s acting experience couldn’t help him when he was drained. 

 

“Shouldn’t you remove the glass pieces in your skin? And, is this ash??” Tuck ran his finger along Danny’s arm and accumulated a small clump of a black substance. 

 

“I really don’t remember. It all happened too fast, I’m sorry. I just need a shower.” Danny tried to change the subject. Tuck nodded in reply and showed Danny to the shower. He could walk on his own now, although he fumbled all the while. The white and red gym uniform that clung loosely to his figure was a mess, partially torn and partially burnt. 

 

While Danny quickly rinsed himself of the dirt, Tuck went into the locker supervisors room and grabbed another uniform for Danny. Danny redressed and dried his hair, just in time to hear someone enter the locker room. 

 

“Anyone in he- woah! Mad’s it's a big one!” a large voice bellowed through the room. Tuck and Danny tiptoed past the lockers and over to the couple who had large bazookas in hand. Peeking over the corner, Tuck whispered towards Danny explaining that it was the Fentons. The two walked out into the open once they realized the coast was clear.  Once they noticed the boys, they immediately aimed at them, ready to shoot down any threat.

 

Tuck held his hands up as if he were caught by the police and Danny slowly followed suit. “We took shelter here when we heard the alarms go off. We were just going to leave. But I think Skulker was here.” Tuck mustered up a cover story with little give way to his lies. A slim woman in a dark turquoise hazmat suit switched her gaze between the two, before lowering her weapon and removing her goggles. 

 

“I’m sorry boys. Are you alright?” Her motherly tone was sweet, but determined. Her larger partner, who was clad in an orange hazmat suit, was scoping around the stalls, sizing up the destruction. 

 

“We’re fine.” Danny replied instead of Tuck. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he recognized the couple, but he couldn’t place a name on their features. His memory was hazy, but he brushed off the thought. His mind was distrustful anyway; it never led him to the correct course of action. 

 

“Great! Please return back to class then. Walk slowly, there’s glass everywhere.” The woman replied gleefully while she turned back to her partner. The two boys nodded in response and scurried out to the gymnasium.    
  


“You feeling ok man? You should skip the rest of gym if you need to.” Tuck asked as they walked through the gym and towards the class. Mrs. Tetslaff blew her whistle as the students tossed around a basketball. Dash passed the orange ball towards some Asian kid. 

 

“I’m refreshed now. I’ll be fine.” Danny said reassuringly. He truly felt better, thanks to his advanced healing ability. Although, he had yet to figure out what the blue breath had been. That’s what had brought him to the locker room in the first place. 

 

“That’s the fourth time you’ve said fine.”

 

“Shut up.” Danny muttered as Tuck chuckled. Tuck joined the rest of class, but before Danny could, he was stopped in his tracks.

 

“Masters!” Mrs. Tetslaff called out for him and he raced to her, hoping he wasn’t in big trouble. “Where’ve you been? Class is half over!” She yelled at him. Compared to her, Danny looked like a small child. 

 

“The ghost alarms went off and I hid. I’m new to this uh- ghost stuff, so I didn’t know what wa going on or when to come out.” He nervously spoke as he rubbed his neck. He tried to make his behavior look ordinary, instead of overconfident and cocky. However, he wasn’t the slightest bit afraid of the brawny gym coach. 

 

“Fine. Next time, you come back here.” Mrs. Tetslaff said as she pointed to the ground. She accepted his excuse and advised him to join the rest of the class. Nodding, he joined Tuck and Sam who were bouncing a ball back and forth at the back of the gym. They didn’t engage with the rest of the class, making them appear like outcasts, which was perfect for his situation. No one would recognize his sudden disappearance in two weeks. Come to think of it, it was better if he left before his previous plan, since Skulker had found him and eventually would let his father know.  

 

“Ouch. Ghost attack on the first day. Are you alright?” Sam asked as he approached the two. She threw the ball towards him and he caught it with ease. He sent it back towards her. Tuck must have updated Sam with whatever happened in the locker rooms. 

 

“I’m fine.” Danny said. 

 

“Five.” Tuck quirked.

 

“Be quiet.” Danny muttered under his breath. 

 

“You both are pussies.” Sam retorted.

 

“Excuse me?” Danny was confused about her insult. 

 

“Scared of the nurse? Some harmless old lady with bandaids?” She chuckled as she spun the basketball on her finger. 

 

“Hehe, yea.” Danny said, awed by the spinning sphere at the tip of her finger. She had great skill with the ball. 

 

They continued to throw the basketball back and forth for another 10 minutes while conversing about past ghost attacks. Danny pretended to know nothing near the topic of ghosts while Sam and Tuck rambled on about Amity’s typical haunters. Apparently Amity Park had a history of being ridiculed for its false claim of ghosts. Even going as far as to stage fake ghost attacks every once in a while. However, the citizens of the town knew the truth: ghosts were real and they were harming the city. The town received less government funding than it should with all the property damage, so the taxes were higher to compensate for the lack of funding. Danny had personal experience with ghosts first hand, although he didn’t let the other two know. 

 

“It all started 10 years ago. Ghosts just suddenly started showing up, although no one knows how or from where they are coming.” Tuck said as he tossed the ball over to Danny. 

 

“That’s crazy. But, just out of nowhere?” Danny asked passing the ball to Sam. 

 

“Yea. We’ve gotten used to the attacks. You will too. We get to be trained to use weapons once we’re eighteen.” Sam said with excitement. The glint in her eyes suggested she oddly desired to hold a weapon. Danny knew Sam was different than the other girls, not just looks but personality too. Her likings and style was quite apparent when she stood next to other girls. 

 

“Well that’s something to look forward to.” Danny said shrugging. Mrs. Tetslaff blew her whistle and called the class over. Once she explained tomorrow’s agenda, she sent the students off to their respective locker rooms. 

 

Most of the boys stopped right when they entered the locker room, gazing at the terror they had marginally avoided. The janitor was currently fixing up the sink and stall doors. It seemed as if he had already sweeped the floor of the million glass shards. Danny and Tuck quickly went to their lockers and changed into their original clothes. As they finished up, the bell rang, signifying the start of passing time until their next class. The boys shut their lockers, grabbed their backpacks, and exited the class. 

 

“Next, it’s my favorite part of the day: lunch.” Tuck said rubbing his stomach. Danny also felt a rumble originating from his stomach. Hurling up what little breakfast he ate had left him hungry. 

 

The cafeteria was just as bland as the school with its white porcelain tiles and light blue walls. Danny followed Tuck to the queue other students stood in, including Sam. She was reading a black book, although Danny couldn’t see the title. Her spider backpack was slung loosely over her shoulder.    
  


“What’re you reading Sam?” Tuck asked as if reading Danny’s mind. 

 

Without looking up from her book, she replied “Dummies Guide to Ghosts. It’s a work of the Fentons.” 

 

Danny was puzzled as to why she would read a book on ghosts, or why the Fentons were so important here. He’d heard the couple mentioned several times, but he didn’t understand what was so special about them. “By the way, who are the Fentons?”

 

Sam and Tucker swiveled to look at Danny like he had asked the dumbest question possible. Although somewhere in his memory he recognized the Fentons, it must have been a coincidence. He’d never met or heard of the Fentons in his life, how would he recognize them?

 

“Dude. You must’ve have heard of the Fentons. Their an _ international _ sensation. Were you living under a rock in New York?” Tuck exclaimed. He wasn’t living under a rock, per say.  _ Just captivated by a murderous father who completely ruined my life to the point where I can’t do anything without nervously contemplating my actions.  _

 

“Uh- no?” Danny finally said. 

 

“Their the only spectral scientists worldwide. There’s no one in their field, except them. Their also the only ones who keep this city free of ghosts. And their my parents.” A tall, slim girl said in front of them. She had hip length auburn hair that was pushed back with a turquoise headband. She wore a long sleeve black top with turquoise pants that matched that of her headband. Danny could see the resemblance between this girl and the female Fenton. “I’m Jasmine, or Jazz, by the way. And you’re…?” she said extending her hand. 

 

“Danny. Uh Daniel Masters.” he said shaking her hand. She suddenly stopped, looking at him intently.

 

“Masters? You mean… are you related to Vlad Masters?” She asked questioningly, finally returning his hand to his side. Danny’s eyes widened as shock overwhelmed his being. She knew his father? No way this was a coincidence. Did she know everything? What if she knew about him - that he’s half-ghost. He needed to get out. Now. 

 

“Uh, what? You know… Vlad?” he said feeling the sudden urge to flee. It would look way too suspicious. He needed to get out of this conversation now. 

 

“What do you mean? Everyone knows Vlad Masters. The billionaire. Although my parents and Vlad were colleagues, so he visits sometimes.” Jazz said. The feeling of anxiousness curled in his stomach, suggesting something was wrong. His father was nationally famous? No way, he hardly left the house let alone visited others. However, he was exceptionally wealthy, yet Danny never knew how he had accumulated much money. It was possible that he could have duplicated himself in order to leave,  _ oh shit. _ Daniel knew nothing about his father and he was learning more from others than himself. 

 

“No. I’m not related to him.” Danny anxiously negated. If Jazz knew Vlad, maybe Jazz knew about the torture he went through everyday. However, that was highly unlikely considering his father would never expose him like that.

 

“Dude, but you’ve got to be related.” Tuck asked disbelievingly. 

 

“Uh…” Danny didn’t know how Tuck could’ve figured it out. Was his acting slipping? 

 

“Look at the rolex on your wrist. Those things cost a fortune. Your rich.” Sam said sighing. She didn’t seem swayed by his supposed wealth. 

 

“That doesn’t mean I’m related to Vlad Masters. I’ve never even heard that name in my life.” Danny said as he crossed his arms. He looked convincingly like he was saying the truth, however in reality he was just acting. He didn’t want anyone connecting him to his father, but someone already had, although he denied their accusation. Running away was the best option this time. 

 

“Dude. You’re still loaded aren’t you?” Tuck asked excitingly. Danny didn’t understand Tuck’s slang, as most of his vocabulary was outside modern terminology. 

 

“I don’t know what that means.” Danny said perplexed. 

 

“He’s asking if your rich.” Jazz clarified for Danny. He shook his head, he didn’t need people thinking he was wealthy. That would only foster further questions. 

 

“So who are your parents? They’ve got to have some standing if you’ve got this watch.” Sam asked flipping a page in her book. 

 

“Benjamin and Isabella Masters. I doubt you’d know who they are. They work in the business field.” Danny said recalling the names he had typed in his application from to the school. 

 

“My parent’s and I know just about everyone in this town. Show me a picture and I guarantee I can recognize them.” Sam said. How would she know everyone in the town? It seemed to be oppose her free-flowing, apathetic personality. 

 

“Where would I have a picture?”

 

“On your phone.”

 

“I don’t have a phone.”

 

“WHAT?!” Tuck yelled as the entire cafeteria turned to look at the commotion. Sam glared at them and the students returned back to their activities. “How do you not have a phone? Your rich and you don’t have a phone?!” Tuck’s hands flailed in the air as his mouth was open in shock. 

 

“First off, I’m not rich. Second, Father never let me have a phone. He thinks they corrupt minds.” Danny said. Although that was partially true, Danny had asked Vlad for a phone when he was 11 since all the kids his age had one. He received three lashings for that. 

 

“He’s definitely a rich kid. He just said father.” Sam whispered towards Jazz. Jazz nodded in return. Danny thought of mentioning he wasn’t rich once again, but they finally reached the food. Today’s lunch was spaghetti and meatballs, however the lunch didn’t seem all that edible. Handing the elderly cashier lady some cash, Danny followed the other three and sat down at a round table in the far corner of the cafeteria. 

 

“Do you mind if I join you guys for today?” Jazz asked placing her tray down.

 

“If you wanna risk your social standing, go right ahead and sit with the outcasts.” she said sarcastically. Jazz rolled her eyes and took a seat right next to Danny. She nudged her food with her fork, as if contemplating whether to eat it or not. Danny was doing the same. The food looked and smelled nothing compared to the dishes the chef cooked back at the mansion. However, Danny was starving and at least eating something tonight would be better than nothing at all. Taking a bite of the spaghetti, he almost gagged. The sauce had no flavor and the pasta was undercooked. The meatballs were also stale with no seasoning. 

 

“Where did you move in?” Jazz asked beside him. Danny didn’t know how to reply. Since the town was so small, she could know just about every street name there is. And if he made one up that didn’t exist, they would instantly figure out he’s lying. 

 

“I haven’t memorized the address yet, so quite frankly, I don’t know. All I know is that I live in a suburban neighborhood at the edge of town.”

 

“Oh yea, I heard about a family moving in there.” Tuck said. “Those houses aren’t the greatest for a rich kid like you.” 

 

“I’m not rich. And I won’t be here long, it’s just temporary.”

 

“You’re gonna be leaving us? How could you?!” Tucker mocked while placing the back of his hand on his forehead as if he were a damsel in distress. Jazz let out a light chuckle at the display. 

 

“Probably by winter break, maybe earlier than that.” Danny said twirling his pasta with a fork. He dubiously took another bite of the pasta and chewed. 

 

“Wow. That’s only two weeks away.” Sam said munching on a sandwich with only a lettuce leaf inside. She had set down her book to focus on eating her lunch. 

 

“Yea. We move a lot so I’m used to the quick friendships.” Danny lied. He’d never had a friend before, other than Ember. But he ruined any chances with the rockstar ghost. If only he’d escaped before releasing Ember from the thermos. 

 

Sighing, he was interrupted in his thoughts by a deep voice. 

 

“Masturd! You’re going to pay for today morning!” the voice rang out across the cafeteria. Realizing who it belonged to, Danny groaned. Closing his eyes and exhaling, he stood up. 

 

Turning around and opening his eyes, he was met face to face with a blonde jock who was currently jamming his fist into his palm as a sign of intimidation. The look of rage encapsulated his face while Danny felt the need to smile cockily. He was doomed for sure. 

 

“Hello Dash.” 


End file.
